Lt Sweetride
by CavalierQueen
Summary: Kelly's reputation as a player keeps the one woman he wants far out of reach. Her demons haunt any relationship she might want with him. And her past threatens to overwhelm them both.
1. Chapter 1

Lt. Sweetride

Rescue Me

A/N: Newest fangirl crushes, Kelly Severide and Jay Halstead. Yep, if I was Erin, I'd have them both! And to my followers, it's been a while since I've written anything fanfic related. And here I am, entering yet another fandom, and leaving so many unfinished stories behind. I'm hopeful this new crush invigorates my writing again. My husband gave me a great idea about how to get myself out of the fix I wrote myself into with Lemon Jam, so perhaps…

The Usual: Don't own, but would love to.

* * *

_It can be a sweet ride_

_It can be a long drop_

_It can take a wrong turn right to a dead end_

_It can make your heart stop_

_It can lead nowhere_

_You won't know unless you go there_

_It can be one more goodbye_

_Or it can be a sweet ride._

~ Courtney Jaye, Sweet Ride

* * *

The chopper noise deadened to a dull roar as she pulled the headset over her ears, hooking the mic close to her mouth.

"Main, patch me through to Paramedic Shay." Snow kept the visibility lousy as the pilot sped through the winter storm, wind jerking them up and down. Even buckled in, Dr. Elizabeth Talbot felt like she might fly out of her seat at any moment.

She heard static crackling through the comms and then she heard Leslie Shay's empty voice, "Shay here."

"Hey Leslie. It's Elizabeth. Status?"

"Thank God, Liz. I am in way over my head here."

"I doubt it, but I'm 5 minutes out. Sitrep Shay."

Elizabeth thought she heard Shay take a deep breath, but through all the noise that was probably fantasy. Shay was one of the calmest women under pressure she had ever known.

"I have two with me down here. Dawson is unconscious after being hit on the head attempting rescue. Severide is conscious but squeezed between the ground and the load of building collapse. He's not hurt, but he's holding the artery of a 10 year old girl whose arm is crushed, trying to keep her from bleeding out."

"Vitals?"

Leslie rolled off the vitals for Severide and Dawson. "I can only get ankle pulse on Dawson. I can't reach the girl at all. I'm pinned too."

"Can you administer IV or pain meds?"

"With help, yeah, but right now I can't stretch to anyone. Unless I put something in the ankle?"

"For Dawson or the girl?"

"Dawson. Can't reach the girl."

The helicopter circled the demolished school. The fires were out, but there was a lot of damage. She saw the majority of the firefighters digging through the wet debris.

"We're landing now. Just hold on a minute and I'll be in there with you." Elizabeth cringed at the idea of crawling under clearly unstable debris into the dark, tight space. She didn't like darkness on a good day, much less combined with tight spaces. Bad memories. She leaped out of the emergency helicopter before it had even settled onto the ground, grabbing the bag the copilot tossed to her.

Jogging to the huge black man wearing the chief's fire helmet, Elizabeth threw the full bag on the ground and started dividing up supplies, stashing them in the zippered pockets of the travel vest and cargo pants she wore. This was her go-to clothing for emergencies and its frayed ends showed the wear and tear the clothes had been through. She listened while the chief explain the situation, strapping a tight fitting flat pack onto her back, clamps and retractors in her pockets. She would be able to shimmy through tiny spaces and still carry supplies into the hole with her.

"They're in the basement boiler room, trapped under a ton of building materials. We've got it stable for now, but this thing is like a house of cards. It could fold any minute. I know you've got the training for this. I wouldn't allow a civilian doctor down there." She didn't bother to correct him that she was a civilian doctor, at least she was now. She knew what he meant. Very few trauma surgeons in the world had the sort of training she'd had. That was both a blessing and a curse.

The curse part was climbing through the darkness. The blessing was that she was able to help. And it was her friends that were down there along with a child. Elizabeth took a deep breath as two firefighters picked her up and helped angle her face first into the hole. They'd attached a belt around her waist, tied to a yellow nylon rope.

"Don't go off rope for any reason!" one of them was yelling. "We'll need it to find you if we need to. Follow Severide's rope down. Ok?"

She nodded as small oxygen tanks were attached to her calves in case she needed them. She was easily carrying half her weight down into the abyss. Her gloved finger switched on the lamp on her headband, illuminating the darkness, the dirt, the closed in air. She took several deep breaths, focusing on the anxious knot in her stomach. Catching sight of the twin yellow rope, she followed the line down and down.

"Les, I'm coming. How far are you guys down?"

A man's deep voice came over the mic in her ear. "We're about 20 feet down. Be careful at about 10 feet. There are a lot of sharps around."

"Oh good. A party line. How is everything down there Lieutenant?"

"Oh you know, the only good day was yesterday."

"Such a fatalist for a fire fighter. Surely there is more to be optimistic about."

"Maybe that you are about to join us? I can be optimistic about seeing you again."

"Things are that desperate then, huh?" she teased, appreciating Severide's ability to calm the situation. "Les, how you doing girl?"

"Feeling like you two should get a room already." Elizabeth smiled as she pulled her way down what could loosely be described as a tunnel. What the hell was that girl doing down here anyway?

Elizabeth felt the sharps she'd been warned about scratch through her jeans. She idly wondered about tetanus as she felt the scrape and recognized the draw of blood. She continued to crawl, holding her elbows close to her body as she moved snake-like through the labyrinth of debris. She saw the yellow reflective tape of the fireman's pants.

"I see you. Incoming." Digging her toes into the debris she made one final push that brought her face first into the small space already filled with four bodies. Her smaller one was going to make it virtually impossible to move around.

Leslie was at the fireman's feet, at an odd angle. "Where's Dawson? The girl?"

"I'm holding Dawson's leg. She's perpendicular to Kelly. The girl is parallel to him. Dawson was trying to get a line in when the ceiling collapsed." They were portioned out like a partial hexagon, squeezed down into a 5 foot space.

From the lack of space, Elizabeth thought it was likely that more than just the ceiling had fallen on them, but maybe all the floors from above. They were lucky to be alive at all. "Alright, Lieutenant. We're going to get real cozy here in a sec. I need to assess the girl and Dawson."

"I've only been trying to get cozy with you for months. It takes getting trapped in a hole to finally get a date with you." She heard the laugh in his voice, despite the circumstances. "Should have planned this earlier."

Elizabeth pushed herself on top of the prone Kelly Severide, draping herself sideways over his chest.

"Even trapped in a hole, I still don't date players, L.T.," she confirmed for him as she pulled the stethoscope from her shirt and tried to find a pulse on the girl, who jerked awake when she felt the cold metal pressed to her skin.

The girl immediately started crying. "Hey sweetheart. It's ok. I'm going to help you out."

"It huurrttsss," the girl cried. The girl started trying to move and Elizabeth immediately held her down. In the dark, it was a miracle Kelly had found the bleeding artery in the first place. She didn't want the girl to wiggle her way out of his grasp now.

"I know sweetie. I need you to stay very still. This nice firefighter, Lt. Severide, is holding your arm where you're hurt. We don't want him to let go, ok? I'm going to give you something right now that is going to make the pain stop. It's going to feel funny going in, and then you are going to go to sleep. When you wake up, your parents will be there." Elizabeth prepped the morphine, making an educated guess at the child's weight, holding the syringe so her light shined on it to check for bubbles.

Elizabeth pulled herself further over Severide's body so she could reach the girl's undamaged arm to give the shot. The child kept whimpering while Severide and Leslie talked quietly to her. She felt the pressure her weight was putting on Severide's ability to breathe.

"There you go sweetheart. When you wake up, you'll see your parents." They all waited the seconds it took for the girl to fall asleep. She pushed back a bit, moving off of Severide's chest and onto his hips. "Hopefully this will make it easier for you to breathe, L.T."

"Maybe physically," she barely heard him whisper. It was an awkward position to be in, and if the circumstances weren't so dire, she would never be crawling all over him. He'd been asking her out for a while and she'd always turned him down. Now she was in really close contact with him and it felt much too intimate, a situation she had gone to great lengths to avoid the past few months. She slithered up his body, bringing their bodies into full contact so she could reach the girl's injured arm.

Elizabeth wiggled her hips pulling a clamp from the back of her jeans and she heard Severide groan. This must be really uncomfortable for him. "Do I weigh that much, Sweetride?"

"Severide," he made clear, and then answered, "It's not the weight, Doc." It was cold outside, even cold in this tiny space, but his body radiated heat, especially as she covered his body with hers. Her leg brushed against his groin as she tried to angle herself to clamp the girl's arm, and she gasped when she felt how hard he was against her thigh.

Her eyes jerked to his as his lamp lit up her face, and she felt a blush creep across her face. "Oh!" She looked away quickly and started to babble a bit, trying to refocus on the task at hand. "I'm going to clamp and then tie this off. I'll be quick then you can let go and start figuring out a way to get us the hell out of here."

"Sorry about that," Kelly whispered where only she could hear him.

Her delicate fingers clamped the artery he'd been holding for the last hour. Once she motioned for him to release, he pulled his hand away and immediately started opening and closing it to get the blood flowing.

"I'm going to hook her up to some O2, and then I'll be off of you."

"No hurry on my account," he laughed slightly.

"Horndog," Leslie sighed as Elizabeth hooked up the O2 tank to the small child and draped the tubing around her head and into her nose.

"Let's take a look at Dawson now." Shimmying back down Severide's body, she found Dawson still unconscious. There was a huge gash just over her right eye. She couldn't see any other damage at the moment. "Leslie, hand me a brace. I can't see anything but this gash on her temple. Breathing is good, though."

She couldn't turn around so she reached back blindly while Leslie Shay passed the neck brace into her grasping hand. A moment later, it was snapped around Dawson's head.

"Ok, Sweetride, you're up. Get us out of here." She rolled off of him and onto Shay while he wiggled his way back into the tunnel she had just climbed through.

"Guys, send down a backboard on a pulley. We'll put the girl out first and I'll guide it back up. We'll do the same for Dawson." Severide turned his head back to his best friend Leslie and the doctor, shining his lamp on them. "I'll be right back."

Elizabeth swallowed the sob she heard Leslie utter as they watched the big man crawl away from them. She reached for the other woman's hand in the darkness and squeezed, comforted by the return pressure.

"When we get out of here, I'm so getting drunk and sleeping on the roof tonight."

"Leslie, it's going to be 30 degrees tonight!"

"I don't care, I don't think I can face being inside for a while."

"Yeah. I know the feeling," she felt the incipient panic rolling from the depths of her soul as the adrenaline from the immediate crisis faded. "I think I'll be sleeping with the lights on for a while."

Leslie squeezed her hand again as she saw the bright yellow backboard slide its way into their small space. "Shay, you and the Doc are going to have to roll the girl onto the board. I can't climb over and get in there."

"Yeah, we're good," Leslie answered, crawling to the girl. Without the big guy in the middle of the room it didn't seem quite so crowded even if it was still a really small space. Unable to stand or even sit up, the two women carefully rolled and dragged the small body into position and slipped her onto the board. Leslie quickly strapped her in and yelled 'Go!' They watched the board slide back up the tunnel.

A few minutes later, they were lifting Gabby Dawson's unconscious body on to the yellow board and began pushing it up behind Severide. They made a long chain, neither wanting to stay down there any longer than necessary. First was Severide, then Dawson on the board, then Elizabeth with Shay bringing up the rear.

Severide pulled Elizabeth and then Shay out of the rubble. The girl was already on her way to the hospital in the helicopter. Elizabeth took in the cold clean air and slowly let it out. "Thanks, Lt. Sweetride."

"Severide."

"I know, but from what I hear, you are one sweet ride." She smiled as she walked over to the ambulance, riding to the hospital with Dawson.

He followed beside her. "You know, I'm sorry about what happened down there. I can't really explain it. It's never happened to me before."

Elizabeth lifted an amused eyebrow, "Really?" she drawled, clearly not believing.

"Not like that, not in the middle of a rescue. I'm really sorry."

She stopped at the doors of the ambulance, putting her hand on his wide chest. She could feel his heart thundering beneath his quilted jacket. "Please stop apologizing for something that cannot be controlled. It's not like you did anything about it. No harm, no foul."

"So will you have dinner with me?" he asked again as he helped her into the ambulance. She'd already started examining Dawson's head wound. He fully expected her to say 'no' again. He stood there, helmet in hand, waiting for yet another blow.

"Good night Kelly. Stay safe," she gave him a sly smile as she pulled the door to the ambulance closed.

Kelly Severide stood in the blowing snow, pulling his helmet back on. "Definitely not a no," he laughed.

* * *

A/N: Reviews keep the muse fed. It's been a while since I've written much of anything and hoping this is received well enough to encourage me to continue writing. It's going to be a long summer break without CF and CP. Originally I made Kelly an Army Ranger based on what I've seen on the wiki's, but have since learned he isn't one, so I've changed the references. I'm not convinced that he actually is one as he hasn't demonstrated or talked about his service, at least not in Season 2. Never saw Season 1. My bad.


	2. Chapter 2

Lt. Sweetride

Talk to Me

Notes: Some events will be borrowed or changed from the show for this story. Some stuff will be new. T for now. Will become M because, well, they always do.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favs, and follows! It does my muse good as I use writing as an outlet for my current fangirl obsession. I've gone back into Chapter 1 and changed it slightly to take out the reference to Severide as a Ranger. Apparently the wiki is incorrect, and that Ranger tab is actually referring to some sort of scuba equipment (maybe?). Definitely not a Ranger though. He just doesn't have the vibe for that.

* * *

_If you can't remember a better time_

_you can have mine, little one._

_In days to come when your heart feels undone_

_may you always find an open hand_

_and take comfort wherever you can._

Deb Talan, Comfort

* * *

"The mom was released last night, but she's stayed here with the girl. They are all going to be fine," Dr. Wilhite explained to Casey and Severide.

"That's really good news," Casey said, clutching the stuff panda bear.

"Two of our paramedics found this bear in the ambulance. We think it's the girl's."

"Caroline."

"Yea, Caroline. We cleaned it up for her and wanted to return it," Severide finished. The panda bear had been completely soot covered when Shay found it in the ambulance, but now it was clean and mostly white again, thanks to a good wash.

"Let me get the mother out here. Maybe she'd like for you guys to return it directly." Wilhite walked into the glass enclosed room and came out quickly. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Brooker doesn't want to talk with you right now."

Then the dark haired woman stormed out of the room and towards the firemen. "Are you the ones that were there?"

Both men braced themselves against her anger, acknowledging they were but staying silent.

"It's your fault. My husband is dead because you didn't get to us in time. You didn't save him and now my children don't have a father." She broke down in tears, ripping the panda bear from Casey's hands. "Go away! I don't want you to see my children!"

Speechless, the two men looked on as she stalked away, listening to her sobs as she retreated. Kelly's heart broke for her, broke for them all as they were still reeling from not being able to save such a brave man. Starkly lit by fluorescents, the sterile white corridor screamed against their failure as he jerkily hurried away.

"I'm sorry about that," Dr. Wilhite began.

"Yea, no, don't worry about it Doc. We get it," Casey whispered, turning to follow Severide out.

Kelly pulled up short when he saw Elizabeth Talbot standing at the double doors leading out of the pediatric unit. Her eyes were damp with sympathy. She'd obviously witnessed the whole exchange. He felt Casey stop right behind him, while he just stood there.

Her long auburn hair was pulled back in a messy pony tail, like it always seemed to be. He wondered briefly just how long it was and if she ever wore it down. Her eyes were even greener with unshed tears of compassion. He didn't move as she walked towards them, her eyes locked with his.

Elizabeth stopped just in front of Kelly, standing on tip toe and reaching her arms up and around his neck, bringing him into a tight hug. He stiffened in surprise and then relaxed as she just held him in silence, her breath soft against his neck. His arms circled her waist, his face buried against her hair. She smelled fresh and clean with a hint of jasmine and something raw and musky he wasn't familiar with. He remembered her scent from the collapsed building. He let her smell fill his mind just as her body filled his arms.

Silently, she broke the hug and turned to Casey, embracing him as well, but holding him only briefly. Her hand dropped to Casey's quilted navy jacket while taking Kelly's hand in her other one. "You guys look like you could use a drink."

Kelly snorted, "You have no idea."

"I might have an inkling. I've got nothing stronger than pretty good coffee or a soda to offer, but I've got a few minutes if you want to sit for a bit. I'm buying."

The two men looked at each other and back at the doctor. "Sure. A few minutes would be great." She released them both and led the way to the cafeteria in silence. Kelly studied every move the woman made as she walked them through the corridor. She wasn't very tall, maybe 5' 3" or so in her flat comfortable shoes, but she had a long stride and easily kept up with them. When they got to the café, she nodded with her head or waved with her hand to give directions, holding their silent grief for them while they went through the motions. Not a word was spoken as she gestured to the coffee and sodas, only letting the cashier know it was on her tab.

They found a quiet table in a corner and sat, both men waiting until she had taken a seat before sitting themselves.

Casey broke the silence, "We don't want to talk about it." Severide was slumped in the awkward plastic chair, picking at the wax on the recyclable paper cup his soda came in. He felt like shit. Shit because he hadn't been able to save the father. Shit because the woman attacked them. Just shitty all around. But he didn't want to talk about it either.

"Ok," Elizabeth agreed quietly. "We don't have to talk at all."

Severide wanted to talk, not about the woman, or the father who had died, but talk about something, anything else. He hadn't seen her since the building collapse a week ago, and he'd never gotten to actually sit with her to talk. Avoiding him seemed to be her SOP, so now that he was sitting next to her, at her invitation, he was completely caught off guard. So much for smooth.

"You know, about a year ago, I got this letter," both men looked up from their not very interesting drinks. She played with the straw in her Diet Coke, staring off into space, her raw throaty voice continuing. "I'd once had to amputate both legs of a soldier to save his life. He'd been blown apart by an IED. When he woke up, and found out he'd lost his legs, he screamed and cursed at me, telling me I should have let him die. That his life was no longer worth living. He even tried to kill himself while he was in the hospital."

Kelly watched her lips tremble at the memory. It wasn't unlike how he was feeling right now. "I sat with him at the hospital. Read to him. Listened to him rail at me. Just sat in silence while he slept. When he was stable enough, he got shipped to Germany and then home. I figured I'd never hear from him again. That maybe he'd end up killing himself after all."

She brushed a tear from her cheek and looked right into Kelly's eyes. "Then I got this letter. It had been forwarded around until it finally reached me here. It was from him, and he thanked me for all I had done. And apologized for all the terrible things he had said at the time."

Elizabeth reached into the pocket of her white coat, and pulled out her stethoscope. Attached to it were a couple of laminated pictures. She pulled one aside and handed it to Kelly. "This is that man, two years after we sent him home. He has a beautiful loving wife, and they have two children. They named their little girl Elizabeth."

Both men fingered the photograph, looking at the good looking blonde man who might have been a football player in a past life, the two tow-headed blonde toddlers, and the beautiful woman who stood beside him.

"When in pain, or in grief, sometimes people lash out at those they hold responsible. Mrs. Booker will one day be able to thank you for saving her children so that they can grow up and remember the man who sacrificed his life for theirs, their father. You know that you did everything that you could. I know you did everything that you could. I see these victims when they come in, and I know what was done to save them. And I know when nothing would have made any difference. You could not have saved that man."

Casey cleared his throat, hard a couple of times. Kelly quickly wiped his eyes, before any tears fell out of his too full blue eyes.

"Thanks for the drinks Doc," Kelly said, standing letting his chair scrape across the linoleum floor, breaking the moment. Casey and Elizabeth stood and she looked from one man to the other.

"Maybe you'll let me buy you the next round, only something definitely stronger, at Molly's?" Kelly suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

"I like Molly's. They've got a comfortable vibe going there."

"You've been there?" Casey and Kelly asked in surprise.

"Yep. But apparently not when you've been. Shay and Dawson have a stake it in the place. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't support them when I can? Which isn't that often, but I try."

"So will you have a drink with me?" Severide asked again. They were almost to the exterior doors that would take them to the trucks where their guys waited.

"Truck 81, Ambulance 61, Squad 3, we have a car in the water at pier 6." Both men straightened and turned to rush out the doors.

"Thanks for the talk Doc," called Casey.

"I'm not going to quit asking," shouting Kelly.

Elizabeth watched as they both ran through the automatic doors. "I sure hope not," she whispered.

A/N: Reviews feed the muse.


	3. Chapter 3

Lt. Sweetride

Run from Me

A/N: Don't own, but SO wish I did.

_It's been a long time since I came around_

_Been a long time but I'm back in town_

_This time I'm not leaving without you_

_You taste like whiskey when you kiss me, oh_

_I'd give anything again to be your baby doll_

_This time I'm not leaving without you._

You and I, Lady GaGa

* * *

Leslie Shay paced in the station bathroom, her cell phone pressed to her ear. "Please come to Molly's tonight, Liz," she begged.

"I'm busy tonight, Les. I have a… a thing I can't miss. I'm sorry. I can come tomorrow night."

"It has to be tonight. This whole week has been shit, and I want to cheer him up. The only thing I can think of that will do that is you."

"Oh, please. Kelly Severide can have any woman he wants. They'd all be happy to 'cheer him up' every which way but Sunday."

"That's the problem. He doesn't want anyone else. He wants you."

"Ridiculous. He doesn't even know me, and I'm not going to sleep with him because he's had a bad day." Leslie heard the frustration in her friend's voice.

"Look, I'm not asking you to sleep with him, although I still don't understand why you have such an aversion to the idea. He's hot, and I'm a lesbian, so that is really saying something! Just stop by. Smile at him. Say hi. Easy. Do a hero a favor won't you?"

"You are a serious pain in the ass, Leslie Shay. Fine," she huffed. "I'll stop by, but it will be late, like maybe 9 or 9:30. I'll be coming from this fancy thing and will be totally overdressed, completely inappropriate for Molly's, but for you I will do this. I'll smile, say hi, and then leave."

"Thank you! Thank you! I owe you one."

"You owe me so many be glad I'm not keeping score, girlfriend."

"Yep. Got it."

Leslie hung up and giggled a bit. Now she just had to make sure Severide was going to be there too. He'd been sulking for days, so it might not be as easy as getting Liz to come. Like that was easy. What I do for my friends!

She knocked quietly on Kelly's closed door. The blinds were all closed and she wasn't sure he wasn't sleeping, even though she had never known him to sleep during the day. She heard a growled 'Enter!' and she gingerly opened the door.

"Hey you."

"What's up?" He was brusque even with her, even in private. This was not good.

"Coming to Molly's tonight?"

Severide shook his head and tossed his pen on top of the pile of reports he'd been working through. "I don't feel like it, not tonight Shay. I'm just going home to drink and sleep."

"Not tonight you aren't. You've done that every night this week, and tonight you are going to come to the bar. Get out. See people. Do things."

"No," he insisted.

"Yes. Kelly, you really want to be at Molly's tonight. Really."

"Why?" his jaw clenched in frustration.

"Tonight, you really want to be there. If you don't go, you'll regret it." She couldn't just tell him, because what if something came up and Liz couldn't get there after all? But she really wanted him to come. "Please, for me?" Her ace in the hole. The card she rarely played but that always worked.

"Ok, whatever. But I'm not going to be much company."

"You'll be fine company, for the right company." She grinned and darted off. Kelly stared after her, slouching further in his chair. What the hell?

* * *

March in Chicago was freezing cold and windy. Her evening attire was more summer than anything she should have worn in winter, leaving too much leg exposed, even with a long coat on. The cold air blew right up her dress, freezing parts that should have otherwise been nice and warm.

Fortunately, the wind and cold was only a problem to and from the car or building. They were now pulling in front of Molly's and it was 9:25. She wanted to be heading home to a warm bath, a glass of fine whiskey, and her electric blanket. Instead, she'd asked Jimmy to drive her to Molly's, quite the roundabout from where she had been and where she lived.

But she'd promised. So here she was. Jimmy put the town car in park and got out to open her door. The good looking older man held his hand out to her, helping her maneuver out of the soft leather seats and onto the curb. She placed her feet carefully, watching for ice. Was this winter ever going to end?

"Thanks Jimmy. I won't be that long. Maybe an hour, hour and a half? Do you want to come in?"

"No m'am. I'll be fine just hanging out listening to the game. You just text me when you're ready." Jimmy had been with her family for a long time. She didn't need him often, but he was always available to drive her around when she didn't want to drive herself. Nights like tonight it just didn't make sense. Especially when she'd been drinking. She never drank and drove. Ever. Too many car accidents caused by a drunk driver. She could hold her own with drinks, but she knew that even with one, she could be too impaired to be safe.

"Alright then. Stay warm." He opened the huge wooden door to Molly's for her and she walked into her friends' bar. She loved the comfort of the place. The little white lights that glowed from the ceiling gave it a higher end sort of feel. Life size black and white outline shooting targets hung framed on the walls, beside color photographs of fires and rescues around Chicago. It was definitely a cop and firefighter bar. She was the odd-man, or rather woman, out. But she did have friends here.

Elizabeth spied Kelly sitting alone at the edge of the far end of the bar. He was dressed in black, collar undone. He looked striking and even from here she could see the slight gray glinting against his black hair in the dim light. Their eyes met and she smiled briefly, only to have her attention drawn away almost immediately.

"You made it!" Jay Halstead growled in her ear and his arms went around her waist, pulling her close. He kissed her on the forehead and smiled at her. With her heels on, she was almost as tall as he was.

"Of course I made it," she smiled up at him. He turned her to help her off with her coat and made an exaggerated effort looking her over. "Damn girl. Just damn. Maybe you should put this back on, just to be safe. What are those, six inch heels?"

The dress looked great on her. It was the sheerest pink, almost matching her skin color. The chiffon draped her body a little like a toga, but clung to all the right places and yet didn't reveal too much. He spun her around to get the whole picture, the short skirt lifting a little to show even more leg.

"They come off as soon as I'm back in the car. I just need to do this little favor, and I'm home to bath, book, and bed."

"How was the little soiree anyway? I could have gone with you, you know."

"You know I try to use you sparingly. It's not good for the old blue bloods' hearts. They were all asking for you, wanting to know when we were getting married. All worried I wasn't keeping you happy."

"Busy bodies."

Jay spun her again, causing her skirt to flare up and out a bit. "Stop it Jay. You're doing this to yank his chain." Jay knew she'd been asked here by Leslie to cheer up Kelly Severide. They'd had a bit of a competition going over Erin Lindsay for a time, but Erin made her choice and it was all good now. It had never been anything serious with Kelly and Erin, but Jay had played the game like it was.

Jay laughed and looked across the bar at Kelly, who was observing it all, looking very unhappy. "But it's so easy, Lizzie. He's got it bad for you babe."

"Whatever. I like him Jay, so stop teasing him," she laughed when he pulled her up against him again. "You are poking the bear. And I think he might eat you."

"I think he'd rather eat you. I'll be good, but if he hurts you, he's dead." Jay was suddenly serious. He'd been there to pick up the pieces before and had no intention of having Elizabeth broken apart again. Not by the likes of Kelly Severide.

"I'm just here for a drink and a smile. A favor for a friend." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and turned back towards Kelly.

Severide had watched the whole scene unfold across the bar. He'd been surprised to see Elizabeth Talbot walk through the door at Molly's. She'd never been here when he was. As far as he could tell, until recently she had actively avoided being anywhere he might be, which was hard given how close Shay and her were. This must be the reason Shay was so insistent that he come tonight. And he was glad. But the way Halstead was pawing at her, he did not like one bit.

Elizabeth Talbot was stunning. And maybe more, but he wasn't sure his vocabulary was large enough to describe her. The dress was perfect for her, made up of layer upon layer of sheer pink material. It came to about mid-thigh and then there was nothing but leg until he eyes caught the shell pink fuck-me strappy sandals. When Jay spun her around he caught sight of the tops of her stockings. God he was in so much trouble.

Jay was shooting him daggers from behind Elizabeth's back, even going so far as to take two fingers, pointing to his own eyes and then pointing to him. I'm watching you.

He took a deep breath and finished the rest of his beer, watching her sashay towards him. Men were ogling her, some strangers, some friends and he thought he might have to kill them all for even looking at her. But no one stopped her and she never broke eye contact with him. Not once.

"So Lt. Sweetride, may I join you?" she asked as she lay her coat over the back of the high bar chair.

He grinned at her nickname for him, and nodded, unsure of being able to speak. Elizabeth's eyes held his, as if he were the only person in the room. Leslie came up beside them, "Manhattan?"

"Yes please, cold with crush." Even though it was Leslie, Elizabeth still didn't break eye contact with Severide.

"You are breath taking," he blurted out.

She smiled. "Thank you Lt. I hear you guys have had a really bad week, culminating today."

"I hope today is the worst of it. We had a deposition today. It was bad."

Leslie placed her Manhattan over crushed ice in front of her and replaced Kelly's beer with a fresh one. "So what can make it better?" she asked sipping her drink.

Kelly's head went back in surprise and he laughed out loud. "You could go home with me, but I have a feeling that isn't on the table."

Elizabeth slowly stood, planting her feet at the bottom of Kelly's bar stool, which left her standing between his legs. "No, sex isn't part of the offer, but how about a drink and a dance?" Her hands rested lightly on his thighs.

"I will take anything you are offering. Even if you were to turn around and leave, this has been a great improvement on my week."

"Well, I will leave, alone, in a bit, but I was hoping to finish my drink first, maybe dance?"

"Anything." He took a drag off his beer, watching her throat move as she swallowed her drink. He wanted to run his tongue along the length of her neck. She glanced at him as if she knew what he was thinking and smirked.

Taking her hand in his he led her out to what was about to become the smallest dance floor ever. Lady GaGa's You and I had just started playing. Kelly put his arm around her, holding her other hand in his while they rocked away to the beat. You and I, you and I, without you and I, I would die… Kelly spun her into a twirl, laughing as she swirled back into his arms. This time I'm not leaving without you.

The song came to an end only to be followed by Elvis Costello rocking that first kiss. Both arms went around her waist and he pulled her up close, her hands rested on the back of his neck. She licked her lips, her small pink tongue peeking out. He wanted to kiss her right there.

"What's the deal with you and Halstead?" he asked, surprising both of them.

"Really, that's what you want to talk about? Now?"

"Not really, but what I want to do right now, maybe I need the distraction."

Elizabeth snorted, but went ahead to answer him. "Halstead is my Shay. It's that simple," referring to the close friendship he had with Leslie Shay.

"But Halstead isn't gay."

"Nope, he's not."

"So how is it platonic? I can't imagine being friends with you and not wanting to sleep with you."

"It's not always about sex, Sweetride."

"I know. I get it. I can be friends with women too. But you… that's totally different."

"So if you were dancing with Shay, would you be as turned on as you are dancing with me now?"

He shuffled uncomfortably. "No."

"It's the same with Jay and I. We've tried. Really, it only made sense. Best friends, why couldn't it be more, but it just isn't."

Kelly's eyebrows knitted, he shook his head in disbelief. "Let's try it this way. We are dancing together right now. You are holding me really close, not quite touching."

Kelly swallowed and nodded. He wanted to crush her to him, absorb her into his skin if that was possible. Get naked with her right here in the middle of Molly's.

"And you feel the heat between us? Your heart is beating faster," she grinned, "even faster as I talk like this. There is an electric pull that draws us closer, we can't touch enough. And if I move just so," she shifted her hips so she brushed against his hardness, eliciting a groan from him. "Your lizard brain is taking over, wanting to fuck me right here on the dance floor."

She pressed herself against him even harder as Costello cried out how there would never be a kiss like your kiss as she whispered into his ear. "This is not what I have with Jay. This is just you, Kelly Severide. My lizard brain wants nothing more than for you to throw me over your shoulder, carry me out the back door and fuck me, hard, against the alley wall."

Elizabeth pulled away, nervously biting her lower lip. "And now my rational mind is telling me it is definitely time for me to go." She turned and walked back to the bar, grabbing her drink and downing what was left of it.

Opening her purse, she started texting Jimmy to come pick her up. Kelly came up behind her as she hit send. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck. "Please don't go."

"I'm going. I can't stay here. This is just…" she pulled away and handed him her coat, turning so he could help her on with it, "just too much. Too dangerous. Too everything." He heard the panic in her voice but had no idea where it was coming from.

"Talk to me Elizabeth! What did I do?"

She tossed a twenty on the bar and turned towards him, her hand coming up to rest on his grizzled cheek. "It's not you. Nothing you did. This is on me. I'm sorry. I have to go."

Kelly grabbed his coat and followed her. She stopped at Jay's table and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered something in his ear. Jay grimaced and surprisingly, gave Kelly a look that might have been taken as compassion. Jay felt sorry for him? What the hell?

Elizabeth pushed through the heavy wooden door and gasped as the ice cold air hit her lungs. She gulped in several big breaths. It helped to calm her.

"Kelly, I'm sorry." There were tears in her eyes. A big black shiny car pulled up next to the curb, double parking and a man in a black coat got out and came around the side.

"Dr. Talbot?"

"Coming Jimmy. I'm sorry Kelly."

"I don't understand," his voice cracked, as she got into the car and the door closed behind her.

He was left standing there under the raw street light wondering what the hell had happened.


	4. Chapter 4

Lt. Sweetride

Understand Me

_And I'm on fire_

_When You're near me_

_I'm on fire_

_When You speak_

_(Yea) I'm on fire_

_Burning at these mysteries... these mysteries... these mysteries_

_Ah you're the mystery_

_You're the mystery._

On Fire, Switchfoot

* * *

Molly's heavy wooden door opened and a blast of heat and noise hit Severide from behind. He didn't turn around, didn't care who was leaving. He was still watching the tail lights of the big black car carrying Elizabeth away.

"Hey man," Halstead's gravelly voice came from behind. Severide felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at it and then at the shorter man. "Let's take a ride."

Kelly Severide raised an eyebrow, "What?" he asked irritated. The last person he wanted to see was Halstead right now. "Didn't you come with Lindsay?"

"Yep, and I'm leaving with you. Let's go," Halstead started walking towards Severide's blue vintage mustang parked down the street.

Severide walked slowly behind, head spinning over the last few minutes. "So how is Erin getting home?"

"She drove, she always drives. It's a control thing with her," Halstead stood at the passenger side of the mustang, waiting.

Kelly unlocked the door and walked to the other side, opening the door and talking over the hood to the younger man. "And you're good with that? At work and at home?"

Halstead shrugged. "I figure as long as I wake up next to her every day, I don't really care who drives. You get me?"

Severide laughed. "I get it, man." He started the car and cranked up the ancient heating system. It might take the whole drive to get the car warm on this cold Chicago night. "Where we going?"

"I don't care. Let's just drive for a while." Halstead didn't have any place in particular in mind. Just figured Severide might want to talk. And maybe he did too.

Severide headed towards the river walk. He liked being near the water, and it wasn't as unsafe at night as the docks might be.

After miles of silent tension, Halstead finally broke. "She's pretty fucking terrific huh?"

Severide snorted slightly, "Who? Erin or Elizabeth?"

Halstead looked over at Kelly's profile, lit by the dashboard lights. "I guess that's fair, but right now I'm talking about Elizabeth."

"She's great. I have no idea what happened tonight. I swear Halstead, I didn't do anything. She was all flirty, and hot, and explaining you and her, and then she runs out like she's on fire."

"I know. I was watching."

"Why aren't you with her? You guys are such great friends. And why are you and I driving around close to midnight?"

"I love her Kelly. I'd take a bullet for her. I have taken a bullet for her. I'd kill for her. But we aren't in love. She's my best friend, and if one day I get married, she'll stand with me like a best man would."

"And you don't want to have sex with her?" Kelly asked suspiciously.

"We've been friends for years. We even gave it a go once or twice," at Kelly's glare, he hurried to add, "a long time ago! But you know how it is. There is just no heat, or at least not enough to sustain a relationship. Not a relationship better than the one we have now."

"We have enough heat to burn a building down," Kelly sighed.

"I see it. Hell, everyone in that room felt it. It was positively steamy. And she got scared."

"Of what? I didn't do anything."

Severide pulled into a parking lot and the two men got out and started walking towards a bridge overlooking the water. It was quiet with little traffic and too cold for most people.

"You didn't have to do anything. It's your reputation. She likes you, and it's too hot between you. If she can't control it, she will always run."

"Why?"

"She's been there. Done that. She doesn't ever want a repeat. Hell, Severide, I don't want a repeat. I don't want to pick up the pieces again."

"So what do I do? I'm not going to drop it. I like her too much."

"You run into burning buildings for a living, bro. How do you talk to people freaking out in a fire? How do you deal with people really scared?"

Kelly thought about it. Much of the time people were unconscious and there wasn't a lot of talking, but when they were scared, he had to be quiet, patient, calm. No sudden moves that would spook them. Build trust and make them believe he really would save them.

"Yeah, ok. I get it. I can do that."

"Her life is complicated, Kelly. She'll go to extremes to make it less complicated, and that includes avoiding you."

"She's done a hell of a job doing that already. Tonight is the first time she's ever let me close to her, where I'm the only one she's talking with. She does groups really well, or emergencies, but…"

"She has serious trust issues with guys she considers players. Start there."

"I'm not nearly the player, playboy, whatever people want to make me. I don't leave a trail of broken hearts. Women throw themselves at me, sometimes I catch them, and more often than not I toss them back. The few women I get involved with are very few and very far between, and I'm the one who ends up getting my heart broken."

"So prove it to her."

"When was her last relationship?"

"Relationship? Or the last time she had sex?"

"Um… I'm not sure." Did Halstead really know that much detail about Elizabeth's life? He probably knew the last time Shay had been with anyone, Shay could probably do the same for him, but they were roommates. Elizabeth and Halstead must share everything.

"Serious relationship? 4 years ago. Dating someone more than twice? Four years ago. Sex? She enjoys company. She's just more discreet than you are, even if there is a trail of alleged broken hearts."

"Wait, four years ago? Afghanistan? You were with her all the way back then?"

"Severide, we went to prom together. We've been together a very long time. I know all her secrets, she knows mine."

"Prom? Really? Were you like her first?" He knew he shouldn't be curious, and really hoped the answer was no. That would be really weird.

"As always, Severide, I'm her beard. Even now, I go to all those crappy social things she has to attend when she needs a date that she knows will be well behaved, well dressed, and not expect sex afterwards. I'm that guy. Plus, we have a really good time, especially with the old ladies who keep trying to get us married."

"And her trail of broken hearts?"

Jay laughed. "Wanna-be broken hearts, maybe. Guys wanting to be 'the one' for her. She smart, beautiful, strong, wealthy, pretty much every man's wet dream. They serve a purpose and then she's done. I tell her she's a 'one and done.'"

"How would she like you telling me all this?" Elizabeth was a 'one and done' kind of girl? She didn't do relationships? Maybe they were a lot alike.

Jay shrugged. "I want what she wants. She wants you, even though you scare the shit out of her. You're the first guy I've seen her with that I think just might be worthy of her. I figure giving a little background coaching might help you two work it out. She might be mad I told you about the 'one and done' thing, though. I wouldn't share that with her. But I'd much rather have her mad at me, than disappointed. She gets over mad. She never gets over disappointed."

"Words to the wise?" Severide pulled up in front of Lindsay's apartment building. They sat in silence for a few minutes, both staring out the windshield into the new falling snow.

"Don't ever lie to her. Don't ever disappoint her. And if you hurt her, they will never find your body."

Severide turned towards Halstead and nodded silently. He didn't lie, ever, so he was covered there. He'd try his damnedest to never disappoint her. And the look in Halstead's eye told him they really would never find his body if he hurt her.

Jimmy dropped her at home in Lake Bluff after a silent ride home. She always appreciated that Jimmy knew when to hold her silence. Setting the alarm behind her, Elizabeth started stripping off her clothes as soon as she walked in the front door. Shoes were the first to come off, tossed into the pile at the door. $1200 Jimmy Choo's tossed alongside Target sandals she'd been fond of last year. Her coat was tossed on the bench nearby.

She headed to the main room, decorated simply and cleanly in white with the occasional splash of wild color. She kept this room mostly colorless. It was where she went to empty her mind, wash her soul clean when she needed. There were no pictures, no knickknacks, just an antique tapestry on one wall and floor to ceiling windows everywhere else. The baby grand piano sat in the corner waiting for her.

But piano was not for her tonight. She needed hard pounding bass, loud enough to overwhelm the messy emotions she had walled up inside. She'd planned on bath, bed, and a book, but that was before the Mack truck that was Kelly Severide went barreling through her body. Now she was too wound up to rest quietly. She clicked on the sound system and hit her swimming playlist. Suddenly, Meatloaf was pounding through the house singing Bat out of Hell. The pulse of the music reverberated through her body, deadening it to everything but the music.

Elizabeth walked towards the pool through the semi-dark house. She always kept lights on so she was never in complete darkness. She couldn't take darkness. Or closed in spaces. Stripping her dress off and dropping it on the cabana chair, she pulled everything else off as well, leaving pearls, lingerie and stockings in a heap. She dove naked into the pool and began to swim.

Lap after lap, song after song she swam, losing herself in the rhythm of her arms and legs, the beats of the music that filled the water and her mind. If she could just swim far enough, she could get away. Run away and be someone different. Be someone not afraid. She would willingly face down a genocidal manic in Rwanda than face Kelly Severide again. Geez girl, get a grip. Enough with the drama.

She barely heard her cell phone ring over the music and splashing water. Someone calling this late was never good news, unless maybe it was Jay. He'd probably gotten home, had sex with Erin and was now calling about tonight. She hit the answer button at the same time she was reaching for the remote control for the sound system and didn't see who was calling.

"Yes," she yelled into the phone while she killed the noise. "Sorry about that," after silence descended around her again. "Talbot here."

"Where are you?" Kelly's voice laughed through the phone.

"In my pool, swimming."

"And the music?"

"I like it loud. Really really loud," she smirked despite herself as she pulled herself up on the walk-in beach part of the pool. She let the water settle around her, lightly lapping while she listened to him breathe.

"Surprised the neighbors haven't called the cops."

"I don't have any neighbors. Not for miles. I can be as loud as I want."

"Wow! Where do you live?"

"Lake Bluff. One of the big houses on the water."

"And you have a pool? 'Cause I'm thinking you aren't swimming in the lake." He was teasing her. She took that as a good sign. Maybe?

"Indoor-outdoor pool. Right now, it's very indoor."

"What happened to bath, bed, and book?"

"I had a little too much energy for that so I decided to swim instead."

"You've been swimming since you got home? That has to be at least an hour or more."

"What time is it?"

"12:30."

"An hour and a half. I would have kept going if you hadn't called."

"That's a lot of energy to burn off."

"I have a lot of embarrassment and sexual frustration to deal with."

"I get the sexual frustration part. Why the embarrassment?"

"The way I left?"

"Oh, you mean winding me up and then running away?"

"I didn't mean to. Really, Kelly, I'm not that girl. I'm not a tease, I don't—"

"I know," he interrupted. "I get it. We have some insanely hot chemistry, and you don't trust it, and you don't trust me. Yet."

"I don't trust me! I know you'll break my heart and I still want you. That is seriously messed up, Kelly. I'm good with casual sex. But there is absolutely nothing casual about you, and that is a problem for me."

"So we take sex off the table. Completely off the table. We hang out, we go do stuff. We just keep it simmering in the background while we build some trust. For both of us."

"Really?" She never had a guy offer anything like this before. A non-platonic relationship where sex was not the end goal. "Why would you do this?"

She heard him sigh through the phone. "Because I think this could be something incredible, something I've never felt before, and I'm willing to do this right. We don't need to rush. I'm not going anywhere."

Elizabeth felt guilty suddenly. She'd just been thinking about running away again. "I was thinking of going away," she whispered into the phone.

"This bothers you so much you would run away from it, from me?" Kelly sounded disappointed and surprised.

"I'm scared. You overwhelm me. I was just thinking maybe a nice war zone is just what I needed."

"You're kidding right?"

"Not exactly," she cringed.

Silence was all she heard on the other end of the phone. "Kelly?"

"Look Lizzie, cards on the table," his words were clipped, angry. "I'm willing to work this out with us. Tonight was the first time we've ever even talked alone face to face, and yet I believe there is an 'us.' We've never kissed, never touched, we know very little about each other, except what we've gathered from others. I will not lie to you. I will not cheat on you. I will try my very best to not disappoint you. But you cannot run away every time you get scared. Talk to me."

"All of this is really hard for me to believe, Kelly."

"Then don't believe it and let me prove it to you. But you have to be here for me to do that!"

She sat silently, wrapped in a huge towel beside the pool, clutching the phone to her ear. If she agreed, she couldn't run, no matter what. She didn't know if she could do that, but she had faced much worse things than fear of another broken heart. And the possible rewards just might be worth it.

"Ok," she barely whispered, shoulders shuddering with cold and fear. "I'll stick around. We'll do this, whatever this is, I'll try."

"Good. Thank you," Kelly sighed in relief. "And don't worry, I've already been told if I hurt you, they'll never find my body."

Elizabeth snorted. "And you haven't even met my dad or brothers yet." She laughed at the loud groan that met that announcement.

A/N: I'm having so much fun writing a story for Kelly Severide. I definitely ship the Linstead, and want someone for Kelly too, so I've created Elizabeth. I hope you are enjoying. Be sure to leave reviews! I love to read them.


	5. Chapter 5

Lt. Sweetride

Wake Me

A/N: Thanks so much for the favs and follows. Really appreciate the reviews. And WOW! What a fantastic surprise the shout-out from ChicagoFirestarter was. What a wonderful fandom this is! Still a T, but it is definitely heating up.

_Lyin' here with you so close to me_

_It's hard to fight these feelings_

_When it feels so hard to breathe_

_I'm caught up in this moment,_

_Caught up in your smile_

_I've never opened up to anyone_

_So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms_

_We don't need to rush this, let's just take it slow._

Just a Kiss, Lady Antebellum

* * *

The low wind chime tinkle announced an incoming call to her cell. Ugh. Light was just beginning to filter through the edges of the ripple-fold draperies in her bedroom windows. Whatever time it was, it was too damn early. She'd slept terribly the night before, twitching with the manic sexual energy the hot firefighter had awaken in her.

Searching for the intruding noise, her hand scrambled blindly around her cluttered nightstand, knocking a glass of water off and onto the carpet. "Shit," as she answered the phone. "Talbot." Her voice was even crustier than usual, muffled by her hair lying across her face.

She heard a low chuckle from the other end of the phone. "Good morning sunshine."

"Too early for sunshine, and before coffee no morning is ever good," she groaned into the phone. Her head hurt. How much had she drunk last night? Or maybe it was the lack of sleep? Whatever, it was going to be a long day. She felt her dogs start moving around the bed. Once they were up, there was going to be no going back to sleep. She inwardly groaned as she listened to the much too cheerful morning voice speaking to her.

"Well then you are in luck!" Kelly Severide laughed. "I've got the 'good' to put in your morning. Open the gate."

"What?" She rolled over and flipped on the camera wall screen beside her bed showing her the front entry to her home. Kelly's blue mustang sat idling at the entrance, while he held two large cups of coffee towards the camera.

"You brought me coffee from Mia's?" she said incredulous, scrambling out of bed.

"It's getting cold out here. Get your ass out of bed and open the gate!"

She punched the gate button and started tossing through clothes trying to find something to put on. "I gotta get something on and I'll be right down."

"Don't do anything on my account," Kelly snickered through the phone's speaker.

"I'm naked Kelly."

"Like I said—"

"Shut up," she laughed, hanging up the phone with one hand, pulling a yoga tank over her head. She ran to the bathroom and quickly ran a tooth brush over her teeth, saw her hair and just shook her head in frustration as she heard the engine rev outside.

"Coming, coming…" as she took the wide winding staircase down. She hit the six digit security code and swung the door open. Kelly stood there with two large cups of Mia's coffee and a small paper bag.

He stood in front of her in black jeans, white t-shirt and black leather jacket, holding a large paper cup of the liquid gold that was Mia's coffee. "Oh my God, Sweetride, you are amazing!"

He laughed at her, pulling her into a half hug and kissing her temple lightly. "And just think, it's just coffee." The dogs were going crazy greeting the surprise visitor, jumping up and down wanting some attention too.

"Girls, outside!" Elizabeth ordered. The two cavalier spaniels yipped and ran out the door, scrambling around the front yard. Quiet descended once again as she closed the door behind them.

"How did you know where I live?" She asked as she led him into the house. She watched Kelly taking in the opulent open rooms as they passed through to the kitchen.

"I'm a firefighter, I know where everyone lives."

"I think Jay might consider that the beginning of stalking behavior," she turned to him as she poured cream into her coffee.

"He probably would. But would you if I also bring beignets?" Kelly held the small bag in front of her, small grease stains soaking through the brown paper. She could already smell the heavenly smell of the sugar coated deep fried flour.

"Hmm…" she sighed as she reached for the bag. She took a bite out of one and groaned, "Better than sex!"

"You haven't been having the right kind of sex, then."

She nodded. "Possibly, you can feel free to prove me wrong, but until then, these stand as better than sex."

"Challenge accepted." She held the beignet between her fingertips and held it to his open mouth, letting her fingers slip between his lips along with the sweet bread.

She grinned at his expression, "See?"

"It's very good, but I will take it as my personal duty to show you something better."

"So I hear Lt. Sweetride."

Kelly's arms went around Elizabeth, pulling her tightly to him. He nuzzled her hair and sighed. "Someday baby, someday soon."

Tilting her head back, she looked into his piercing blue eyes. They were so open, so honest, there was no subterfuge there. She relaxed against him, "Yea. Definitely."

She broke away and picked her cup up, motioning for him to follow her. "Who takes care of the dogs while you are working long hours? You live here with your folks?

Elizabeth snorted, "I haven't lived with my folks in forever. But I did grow up in this house. Now it's mine. And I have a housekeeper who helps out."

"You'd need one for a place like this."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh Kelly, it's not the size, it's how you use it right?"

He snorted at the double meaning, "It's always about the size, baby."

"Most of this house isn't used right now, but I'm pretty much a slob, so she helps keep it from getting crazy messy here." As if to emphasize the point, he saw the pile of clothes from the night before on the pool tile. He leaned over and picked up a loose stocking and lacy thong.

He gave an exaggerated sigh, "You're killing me here. You just took it all off and went swimming?"

"No one's here. Why bother with a suit?"

He looked at the floor to ceiling windows looking out over Lake Michigan, despite all the plants growing everywhere, people could still see in. "You aren't afraid someone's watching?"

Elizabeth took another sip from her coffee and stared out the windows. "I'm always afraid someone is watching. You can't see in, the glass is special that way. Even if the lights are on and it's dark outside."

He sat beside her on the stuffed cabana couch, following her eye line to the frozen lake just beyond the covered outdoor pool portion, garden, to the small boat house.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She asked as she sat and sipped her coffee, watching him.

"Yeah."

"In the summer, we have the boats out of the boathouse, water skiing, sailing. The beach is private too."

"You grew up here?"

"Yeah, this house has been in my family for generations. I've redecorated, renovated of course, but my dad was born in this house."

"Do they ever come visit?"

"Holidays, this place is rocking! Fourth of July is my favorite, with Christmas a close second. Everyone comes and stays. Not just family, but friends, kids. It's a crazy fun time. During the summer, it's like our own personal yacht club out there. But mostly, it's just me and my dogs." She absorbed his silence, wondering if this was just too much. She never had men to her house. No guests unless it was for the family parties. And never any sleepovers here. She always stayed there.

Kelly took a sip of his coffee, now cooling. His hand reached up and twirled an errant curl around his finger. "I always wondered just how long your hair was, what it looked like down. It's so soft," he sighed as he pulled the ringlet to his nose. "And always smells so good."

Elizabeth ran her hand roughly through her hair, the tangled frustrating mess it always was when she first woke up. "This is it. It takes hours to straighten it, to make it do anything other than this so I wear it up a lot. Plus, I don't need it down at work."

"I like it like this. All soft loose curls. I think I could sink into your hair and sleep there." As if to show her, he dropped his face into the curve of her neck, rubbing against her, his coffee scented breath soft against her neck.

Her arm reached around his head, fingers running through his thick hair. "Ah, Kelly," she sighed against his cheek. "What are you doing to me? Why are you here?"

His finger stroked down Elizabeth's cheek and down her neck. "No agenda except to see you before shift. I'm on for 48. Wouldn't want you to forget me, or for things to go backwards."

Elizabeth snorted, leaning her hand on his shoulder, twisting her body up, swinging her leg over Kelly, sat back down in his lap, facing him, their bodies aligned in her sudden straddle.

"You are a very dangerous man, Kelly Severide."

His hands roamed her waist, sliding down her thighs. "Me? No, I'm a firefighter, a boy scout. Promise." His lips brushed her neck, soft butterfly kisses she could be imagining as light as they were.

"Mmm, Kelly, you make my panties wet," her mouth open against his neck right under his ear, his body heat filling her mouth.

"Why Dr. Talbot, I don't believe you are wearing panties," his hands gripped her bottom, emphasizing his point. He lifted her up slightly repositioning her so they were cleaved together, only his jeans and her yoga pants between them. He was hard, so hard, like a wide, long shaft of steel. "Maybe they melted off?" he growled against her throat.

Her hips tilted slightly, sliding slowly up and back down his length. She swallowed, her lips brushing his jaw in an open mouthed kiss. "That's it, Lt. Sweetride. You are my melting-panties-problem."

"That's a good problem to have, right?" He breathed against her ear.

"A dangerous problem to have. Dangerous to my heart." Elizabeth pulled away, putting both hands on either side of his face, forcing his eyes to hers. "Tell me if this is just sex, Kelly. I can be ok with that, but I have to prepare myself."

Kelly shook his head, letting her continue to hold his face and his eyes. "It's not Elizabeth. I don't know what it is because I've never been here before, but I can tell you it's not just about sex. I'm going to leave here with a hard-on with no relief. And I'll do that every time I'm with you until you believe that it's not just about sex."

Elizabeth laughed. "Like we are really going to be able to wait? That's absurd. We are adults. It's not like we haven't both had sex for just the sake of sex. We shouldn't hold this," she slowly slid up and down his shaft again, making her point, "hostage because we don't understand it."

"I'm going to be the voice of reason here, maybe surprising both of us, but no, we are going to wait. We can do whatever you want, but we are going 'old-school.' I promised you last night that sex was off the table until you trusted me, and I meant it."

"We're going to go crazy you know? This will make us both crazy."

"Temporarily crazy and sexually frustrated I can do if it means you will trust me. Trust me with your heart, Elizabeth." He was begging.

"God Kelly," she sighed, "you are too much." Elizabeth leaned in to him, lips whispering across his. "Kiss me."

He didn't have to be asked twice. His lips crashed against hers, tongues colliding, one hand behind her head, holding her to him, his other lifting her hips, pushing her against him harder. Hands everywhere, tongues lashing the other, her hands popping the buttons on his shirt, pulling it open.

"Uhnnh," Kelly groaned, his head hitting the back of the sofa, breaking the kiss. "I'm on shift in," he looked at his watch, "45 minutes. I have to go. I'm going to be late as it is."

"Seriously? Now?" Elizabeth sat back, breaking their more heated contact.

"I'm sorry baby. But we can't do this anyway," Kelly still hadn't lifted his head off the couch.

Her head dropped to his chest, she worked hard to restore her breathing to an even level.

"When will I see you again?" Kelly asked, his hands buried in the hair he loved so much.

"Board meeting today, then I'm on shift. Shift again tomorrow at 3, and I have a thing on Friday night, so after that?"

"Friday night is too long. Come by the house tomorrow before your shift. Have lunch with me."

"You can have visitors?"

Kelly looked surprised. "Of course. Have you never been to a working firehouse?"

Elizabeth shook head slowly. "Then you have to come. I'll give you the whole tour and you can have lunch with me."

"Why don't I bring lunch for us?"

Kelly grinned big and laughed loudly. "If you bring me lunch, you have to bring lunch for everyone, the whole house."

"Wow! How many is that?"

"About 25 or so, including everyone."

Elizabeth thought about it, chewing on her lower lip. "Ok. Noon?"

"Wait, what? You are going to bring lunch for everyone?"

"Is that a problem? I still get the tour and have lunch with you right?"

Kelly smiled, nodding his head. "Noon it is then. What about Friday night? Is this a 'thing' Jay is taking you to?" He sounded jealous.

"Really? You're jealous? After this morning, you're jealous?" She ran her finger along the middle of his chest, up his neck, his jaw and brushed across his open lips. He captured her finger between his teeth, nipping at the tender skin of her finger.

"Are you saying I shouldn't be?"

"Of Jay. Definitely should not be jealous. As for Friday night, it's dinner with my brothers, their spouse or girlfriend and my dad. It is not something I would want to subject you to. I don't want to put anyone through that."

"I want to meet them."

Elizabeth smiled, and laid her hand on his cheek. "That is really sweet, and I'd like that too, but it's too soon. Kelly, you heard Jay's threat about not finding your body if you hurt me, my family is even scarier. They haven't met a guy I've dated for a really long time. Less than a week for us is too soon."

"I'm not afraid of them. I'm not going to hurt you. This is a good thing."

She shook her head slowly. "Let's just focus on my tour of the station tomorrow, and we can talk about it tomorrow."

"So after dinner?"

"Yes, definitely after dinner on Friday. You'll probably just be getting off shift."

His hands grasp her bottom, and in one movement, he was standing with her legs wrapped around his waist. "I can get used to this."

"Hmmm, me too," Elizabeth whispered between kisses and nips against his neck. He carried her through the house to the front door, dogs following close behind.

"I'll text you, call if I can," Kelly told her as she lowered her legs. "See you tomorrow?"

"Noon. Lunch for 25 of your closest friends."

"And a very private tour." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Take care."

"Be safe, Lt. Sweetride."

"Always."

A/N: Reviews really do feed the soul. I appreciate it.


	6. Chapter 6

Lt. Sweetride

Play with Me

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Love reading what you are liking about the story. I have a broad plot outlined in my head of where we are going, but if you have anything in particular you would like to see, let me know.

_Hangin' 'round downtown by myself_

_And I had too_

_Much caffeine_

_And I was thinkin'_

_'bout myself_

_And then there she was_

_In platform double suede_

_Yeah there she was_

_Like disco lemonade_

_I smell sex and_

_Candy here_

_Who's that lounging_

_In my chair_

_Who's that casting_

_Devious stares_

_In my direction_

_Mama this surely_

_Is a dream_

Sex and Candy, Marcy Playground

* * *

Kelly hurried into the fire house, yanking his blue squad t-shirt over his head. He was just a little late, and squeezed through the conference room door just before it closed for Chief Boden's beginning shift briefing. That had been close!

He leaned against the far wall, glass cold through his t-shirt. This time of the year, he usually wore his blue quilted squad jacket all the time in the house, but he'd been so late getting in he hadn't quite finished getting dressed.

They were soon dismissed and he followed Shay out. "Hey."

"Where were you this morning?"

Kelly shrugged, non-committal, "You ever been to Liz's house?"

"No. Why? Did you go over there? Or wake up there?" Leslie smirked.

"You know I was home last night. I took her coffee this morning."

Shay chuckled, "Seriously? You woke the girl up with coffee?"

"I was up. I thought maybe she would be too."

"And?"

"I woke her up, but she was cool since I'd brought coffee and beignets."

"From Mia's? Ohh, you went all out, Kelly. So where does she live, someplace on the lake from what she's said, but I don't know anything else."

Kelly pulled her arm to stop her, leaning down quietly. "She lives in like, a mansion. By herself. It's crazy beautiful, with a pool inside and out, and overlooks the lake. She even has a boathouse."

"And?" Shay shook her head in confusion, not understanding why Kelly was whispering.

He shrugged his shoulders again, eyes wide, "Well, I don't know. She's obviously rich. Like rich-rich. I just don't see what I have to offer her. I'm a little freaked out."

Shay stared at him, mouth open. "Maybe that you are a great looking, smart guy who fights fires and saves lives, and who's great in the sack? What are you thinking she wants you to 'offer' her?"

"Yeah, maybe. But I can't compete on the money front. I mean she must make in a month what I make in a year."

"Then clearly she doesn't need your money. Kelly, I have never known you to give a shit about money. Why do you suddenly care now?"

"I guess I never dated anyone who had so much. I'm feeling a little intimidated."

"Did she do or say anything to make you feel that way?"

"No! She was awesome, is awesome."

"So then don't push your issues off on her. She doesn't care about money either, especially what you may or may not have, so get over it already. Her best friend is a cop. It's not like she's hanging out with the rich and famous."

"That's just it. Maybe she is. She said something about a board meeting this afternoon."

Shay shook her head, "Board meeting? For what?"

"I don't know. I was, uh, too distracted to ask."

"Well, then. Maybe you should learn more about this woman, before you try to get into her pants. But don't get scared off. She knows exactly what she is getting with you and clearly still wants it, so don't make her worried about money when she really doesn't seem to be."

"She doesn't want me to meet her dad and brothers."

"Did she actually say that, Kelly?"

"She's having dinner with them Friday night and said it was too soon to have me join them."

"You guys haven't even been out on a real date yet. You may have been chasing her for months, but you only first talked like a couple weeks ago in a boiler room basement. It doesn't sound unreasonable to me to want to wait to introduce you around."

"Yeah, maybe. She's going to come have lunch with me tomorrow."

"That's great! I'll look forward to seeing her, and the two of you together. You are just so cute!"

* * *

_Hey Sweetride,_

_Thanks for the coffee this morning. Perfect way to wake up._

_Elizabeth_

* * *

_Good morning Liz, Lizzie, Eliza, Beth…_

_What would you prefer? I would wake you up every morning if you would let me._

_Only your Sweet Ride._

* * *

_I like the way Elizabeth rolls off your tongue. You have to dedicate four whole syllables to breathing my name. Bring the melted chocolate next time and I'll give you the gate code._

* * *

_Melted chocolate is all it takes to gain entrance to your gilded walls?_

* * *

_It's what I'm going to do with the chocolate that gains you entry. Lick, lick._

* * *

Y_ou're killing me here, E-LIZ-A-BETH. I'm going down in flames._

* * *

_Get your head in the game, Sweetride. No joking about going down in flames. Into a meeting now. No more play time._

* * *

_Later?_

* * *

_Absolutely._

Kelly sighed as he watched his screen go blank. She was off line now and he already missed talking to her, or texting, or whatever it was they were doing. Maybe she was right. They both just might go crazy and combust before this was all over. He dropped his phone into the zipper pocket low on his leg. That was just fine with him. He hadn't felt this way in a really long time, if ever, and he wasn't in a hurry for it to end.

A/N: I know this was short. Too short. But I'm leaving to go camping tomorrow with the family, and wanted to get something up before then. It will be early next week before I can upload anything. Reviews keep the story going in more than my head!


	7. Chapter 7

Lt. Severide

Kiss Me

A/N: Our beach trip was awesome and I've got enough plotted outline for the next 13 chapters! Heat will increase, eventually burning up to an M+.

_I don't want another heartbreak_

_I don't need another turn to cry, no_

_I don't want to learn the hard way_

_Baby hello, oh no, goodbye_

_But you got me like a rocket_

_Shooting straight across the sky_

_It's the way you love me_

_It's a feeling like this_

_It's centripetal motion_

_It's perpetual bliss_

_It's that pivotal moment_

_It's, ah, impossible_

_This kiss, this kiss, unstoppable_

_This kiss, this kiss_

~This Kiss, Faith Hill

* * *

The weather was increasingly warmer, all the ice and snow melted in the sunny warmth. The firehouse even had its rolling doors open for a pleasant breeze into the garage that lifted the edges of a discarded newspaper on the squad table. The guys were gathered around the table playing poker for candy. It was a slow day with only one not very exciting call-out.

"Severide," Capp nodded his bald head towards the sun filled driveway. Kelly Severide lifted his eyes from the cards and his slow day suddenly got much more interesting. His face broke into a grin as he pushed his chair back, and rushed to greet her. The woman that had been haunting his sleeping dreams and waking hours slowly walked up the driveway, her eyes connected with his own, drawing him to her.

At first they just stood facing each other, matching soft 'heys' in greeting. He had missed her, hadn't stopped thinking about her since he'd seen her the morning before. She stood before him in her black skinny jeans and stiletto boots that made her legs look like they went on forever and raised her to where she was just a head shorter than him. The sun reflected in her auburn hair making it glow copper against the sheer sunset pink blouse with crème lace camisole peeking from under it.

Without thinking, Kelly's large hands cupped either side of her face, holding her still as he kissed her…one of those long, slow, deep movie kisses that curled toes and left behind wet panties. He felt her fingers grasp tightly at his shirt front, keeping him close. He finally broke the kiss with a sigh and rested his forehead on hers. "I've been wanting to do that all day," he whispered into the intimate space between them.

Elizabeth Talbot gave a breathless 'Wow' and licked her lips, tasting Kelly. "A few more seconds I might have come right here on the driveway."

Kelly chuckled and pulled a hand from his shirt, leading her inside. "Come on in and meet everyone." Turning back to the house, they were greeted by the gawking stares of the band of firefighters. Shay let out a loud cat call whistle and the whole place started laughing, throwing out "Get a Room!" and "Who needs porn when we can watch this!"

Kelly good-naturedly walked back into the station hand in hand with Elizabeth. She gave an embarrassed smile to the guys that swarmed around her, introducing themselves. She tried to take in as many names and faces as she could but it was proving difficult.

Interrupting the small mob of well-wishers, Kelly started directing some of the men to get stuff out of her truck. In response, Elizabeth pointed her key fob at the Range Rover and the lift gate started to rise. "There's soup and sandwiches from Rheingold's deli, salads, pastries and desserts from Elephant's. I hope there is enough food," she worried her lip as the big men started bringing in the large catered boxes.

Effusive thanks and men with eyes wide with wonder at the amount of food followed them inside. Shay grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Kelly and over to the couch. "He did everything but pee on you!" Leslie exclaimed, as she watched the men unpack the food and begin to set up service.

"What?" Elizabeth laughed.

"That kiss? I mean wow! That was all kinds of hot. Definitely wanting to make sure everyone knew you were his. Sort of like a dog pees on a fire hydrant."

"That's gross Shay."

"It's true. He really likes you and I think it's sweet!"

Kelly watched the two women on the couch talking and laughing and felt something he couldn't describe. He was happy, turned on, pleased, but none of those really seemed to be quite right for the emotion he was feeling. It wasn't like he was terribly in touch with his emotions anyway, but this wasn't one he felt very often or maybe at all. He looked around and saw his friends laughing and joking, teasing each other, maybe even at his expense, piling the food Elizabeth had brought onto the counters and their plates. He saw Shay and Elizabeth laugh about something else. He grinned when he heard Elizabeth's exuberant laugh fill the room. All was right with his world in that moment in time. Kelly Severide felt content. And he liked it.

Kelly watched as Elizabeth stood and greeted Jeff Clarke with a big hug, smile, and even a small kiss on the cheek. So much for contentment as jealousy and irritation surged through his blood. How did they know each other?

In four long steps, Severide was standing beside Elizabeth wrapping his arm around her shoulders, tucking her under him. She leaned back against him, smiling upwards at him and he felt the possessiveness start to wane. "Hey, I didn't know Jeff was a member of your squad!" Why would she? They never really talked about work.

Kelly watched Clarke warily, "How do you two know each other?" God help them if Clark was one of her 'one and dones'.

Ever the conversationalist, Clarke says "Hockey." As if that explained everything.

"I met Jeff through some hockey players I know. We've hung out, but I didn't know you two knew each other."

Kelly stiffened against her, tightening his grip on her shoulders. In response, she relaxed and turned into Severide's hard body. She leaned into him and whispered into his ear, "Just friends, Sweetride. Don't go getting weird on me." She had guessed at his jealousy and he was embarrassed. He didn't have a right to claim her, to be possessive, or for that matter to even wonder at past lovers. Still his mind and body screamed Mine! like toddlers in a sandbox fighting over a toy.

Shay started dragging Elizabeth away, complaining that there wouldn't be any food left soon, leaving Severide and Clarke watching them leave.

"Hockey, huh?" Severide said skeptically.

"Just hockey, bro, just hockey." Clarke looked at Severide, smirking. "You look at her like she's a bowl of ice cream and you're going to eat her up and lick the bowl."

"You've no idea, Clarke," Kelly growled as he followed Elizabeth and Shay to the food.

Kelly sat at the table, slightly rocking back in the office chairs that made up their table seating. He watched Elizabeth conquer hearts and minds, and she had the guys telling all sorts of tales of heroics while she ate it up. Of course, she was beautiful, smart and had brought food so the conquering was not that difficult for her.

The talk turned to hockey and a discussion if the Hawks were heading to the Stanley Cup and what their chances were. Most at the table thought it was a good shot. Otis asked Clarke what he thought since he was friends with the players.

"Chances seem good," he agreed, looking over at Elizabeth. "You goin' to any games before end of season? We haven't seen you there much. The guys were talking about how their good luck charm was missing."

Elizabeth snorted. "Good luck charm? They seem to be doing just fine without me in attendance. But yeah, I'd like to catch a couple or three games before the season ends."

Cruz sat up in his chair, leaning into the table, "You can get tickets? I thought they were sold out!"

"I manage. I take it some of you would like to see a game or two?"

"Hell yes!"

"Tell you what. I need some firefighters and trucks to do a kids' charity thing for me in a few weeks. How about I get you tickets if you'll help me out?"

A round of 'I'm in!' went around the table and she smiled. "Deal."

"What charity?" Casey asked.

"Hope's Light. We make sure kids have clothing, shelter, food, love. We're putting on a carnival for the kids and others to raise money. I told them I would check into getting some fire and police there for the kids."

"Cops too?" Otis sneered. "We are way cooler than they are."

"Well, you guys got the cool trucks. They have the cool pants," referring to the SWAT pants some of them wore, "and we have to play fair."

Kelly leaned over, "Who are you going to ask from the cops? Jay?"

"I doubt Intelligence can do a kid's fair, but maybe they can hook me up with the right people. I'd like to get a car or two and maybe the K9 unit." She stood slowly, picking up her plate and glass. "How about that tour now?"

Kelly nodded and followed her to toss their trash. Once again he wrapped his big arm around her shoulder, tucking her under him while kissing her temple and leading her out to the garage. He showed her the three trucks, finally stopping at the squad truck.

"What is the difference between the fire truck, engine, and squad?" Elizabeth asked as he helped her into the shotgun seat of squad.

"We do the search and rescue. We clear buildings, search for people, get people out of the situations they get themselves into. Truck is mostly about fighting the fire directly, and engine carries the water we need for the big fires."

"And the skills difference?" Elizabeth was curious.

"We do repelling, climbing, water and underwater rescue, even have some bomb diffusion training. Anyone who is in squad has done the other jobs as well, but squad has to have many additional certifications."

"So you are like the Navy SEALS or Army Rangers of the fire department." This was a comparison she could understand.

"Yea," Kelly shrugged. "But we rescue people, hopefully unarmed people."

"Do you have to deal with guns often?" Kelly put his hands on her small waist and easily lifted her down onto the garage floor again, her heels clicking as they hit pavement.

"We've been in the cross fire before, but it doesn't happen often." Chicago unfortunately had one of the highest murder rates in the country, so guns at a scene they might go to was not out of the question.

"Can you fire a gun?"

"I can, but I'm nowhere near proficient at it. Not like I'm sure Halstead or Erin are. Why? Can you?"

Elizabeth ignored the question, instead asking her own, "Wanna go to the range with Halstead and me sometime?"

"You and Jay go shooting together?"

"Not just the range, but the course as well. It's a skill I've needed in the past, and I keep it sharp."

"Afghanistan?"

"Among other places," Elizabeth replied. "Where do you guys sleep?" she asked looking for the bed space.

"This way. My office and our beds are over here."

"You have a bed in your office?"

She saw the glass enclosed room with the raised blinds, marked Officer's Quarters. "You have your own and what, Matt has his?" The rooms were large enough for a neatly made twin bed, a desk, and a table. They walked through rows of neatly made beds for everyone else. "I would have thought this was more like a frat house, but this is quite nice. How come it is all so neat?"

"We live here, a lot of us at one time. It's part of the regs that it stays cleaned up. We have to be able to move and not trip over something in the middle of the night." He opened the door to his office and walked in, turning towards her in the doorway.

Elizabeth caught a hand on either side of the door, leaning her body weight slightly inside, but staying on the far side of the doorway. "How many women have crossed this threshold?" she asked suddenly.

Kelly was glad this was a question he could answer without shame. "Not as many as you'd think, and not for the reasons you're thinking of."

She still hadn't crossed over into his office. "So you haven't had sex here?"

Kelly shook his head, a little frustrated. "I'm not known for my self-control, but I don't have sex at work. At least not often, and never in my office."

She smirked and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. Elizabeth's eyes took in all the little details, the baseball under a cover, the squared corners on the bed, her fingers went to the chain for the blinds and lowered them slowly. "So you have had sex in the house then?" Her back was to him as he took a seat in his office chair, leaning back watching her move.

"It happens." She turned back to him, moving to stand in front of him. She nodded as she lowered herself into his lap, straddling his legs, one booted leg on either side of his thighs. Her fingers delicately traced along the edge of the open collar of his shirt, running a soft line down his skin. She watched his throat bob as he swallowed and felt the warmth of his arousal through his jeans.

"So where?" concentrating on a particularly challenging circle she was painting with her finger nail on his breastbone.

"The tack room, where we keep our gear we're not using. Twice."

"Same girl?"

Kelly shook his head as his hands cupped her ass and squeezed. "You're right."

"Yeah? About what?" his hands slid under her shirt and stroked the soft skin at her waist.

"Not as many as I would have thought."

"I told you this rep that you are so quick to buy into is a lot of rumor and overblown legend."

"And where they collide is the reality of you," she whispered, against his mouth, begging entrance.

He kissed her again, slow and deep, fingers traveling to her blouse, unhooking the tiny pearl buttons and caressing her breast. Their first kiss had been hard and powerful, the effect of long pent-up emotions. Then earlier that day, the kiss was impassioned and dreamlike. These kisses were more exploratory, teasing, playful when he nipped at her neck.

She pulled back, her hands resting on his bare chest where she'd undone his shirt to get to his skin. "No marks. Not where people can see."

"But it's ok where they can't?" He clarified.

"Yes," she laughed, "please. But that is one more thing that will have to wait till we have skin that isn't showing."

As if to overrule what she had just said, her head bent to his chest, mouth searching, tongue seeking. He buried his hands in her hair, clutching her to him as she began to suck his hard, flat nipple. Her teeth nipped and she soothed the sharp bite with a warm lick from her flat tongue. He groaned into her hair, inhaling her scent of flowers lining a moonlit path. She pulled back to see her handiwork, a small dark bruise left behind, marking him.

"That's not fair," Kelly complained, her face caught between his hands.

"You marked me before I even set foot in the building today. This seems comparatively innocent."

"There is nothing innocent about your mouth." His lips met hers, parting them with his warm tongue. She opened to him, gently riding him while he plundered her mouth.

The alarm suddenly went off, followed immediately with "Ambulance 61, Truck 81, Squad 3. Fire in a structure…."

Kelly gave a prolonged cry of disapproval as he stood quickly, clutching her to his waist. She slid her feet down his legs and pushed away.

"Damn it!" he uttered as he quickly started buttoning his shirt.

She snickered and started tucking and buttoning as well. He checked to make sure she was decent and opened his door. "I gotta go," he said reluctantly.

"I know," she took his hand in hers. "Be safe," her eyes pleaded with him.

"Always."

A/N: Reviews feed the muse. Leave one!


	8. Chapter 8

Lt. Sweetride

Burn Me

A/N: Because Chicago Firestarter asked so nicely, an unplanned chappie just for her.

_Struggle with emotion_

_Fell the pain burn deep_

_Within our nerves_

_The mourning of lost life_

_Commands our action night and day_

Paradise Lost, Dead Emotion

* * *

All thoughts of Elizabeth fled as they approached the fully engulfed building. A two story apartment building, maybe 30 units spread across a small, untended grassy area and large parking lot. The building was old, the tenants poor and mostly transient. Severide knew this apartment building had multiple warnings and tickets for having too many people living in a unit; between the lack of neighbors who knew each other and the unknown number of people, this could be a tragic fire.

"Severide!" Boden yelled out. "You take squad and start clearing the 2nd floor. Casey, you start clearing the first floor."

"Capp, you and Mills take the North. Clarke and I will take the South," the men all started pulling on their masks and gear. "Hermann, you cover us."

Shouts filled the air as the men organized to do the primary search before starting to knock out the fire. A scream from the second floor startled them and they looked up, watching a woman on fire toss her baby to a man below. Severide held his breath as he watched the small bundle topple off the balcony into the waiting hands of the civilian.

He started rushing towards the stairs that led up to where the woman was, Clarke right behind him. Taking the concrete steps two at a time, they rushed to the hallway entrance only to find it blocked by junk storage that was on fire. Damn! He grabbed the axe hanging at his waist and started chopping away at the debris, trying to clear a path. The woman's screams had stopped, but he could still see her moving, and one of her neighbors trying to help put out the fire in her clothes.

This junk pile had blocked the exit for everyone past it, and Severide fumed. He knew that these apartments were small and filled beyond capacity with people, so it wasn't surprising that people just stuck stuff out on the breezeway, but this is why that wasn't a good idea!

The last of the debris fell to the ground below and Clarke and Severide rushed down the hall, yelling for tenants to move down the hallway. Clark swung through and picked up the burned woman, gently lifting her into his arms in a fireman's carry. He turned back the way he'd come and headed down. "Be right back!" he yelled to Severide.

Severide was using his heel to kick down the closed doors. "Fire department! Call Out!" he screamed into the first apartment. The room was full of smoke making visibility nil. He leaned over and moved his hand low to the ground to feel for bodies. "Chief! I have two up here, third door to the South, 2nd floor." Clarke came through the door way to start helping carry the injured. Two more men joined them on the same breezeway, knocking down doors and searching.

In all, six people were dead, three of them children, and over a dozen had serious injuries. The men returned to the house dirty, sweaty, and somber. There was no talking, no laughing, no eye contact. Each man moved as if automatons, robots going through the motions they knew so well, emotions buried somewhere deep inside.

Kelly showered and finally hit the rack. Exhausted and emotionally depleted after the harrowing afternoon and evening. The only highlight was Elizabeth. He could only pray his dreams were of her and not the burned bodies, the smell of which even a shower hadn't been able to remove.

A/N: Next chapter will be on a happier, teasing note. This is based on a true fire that was set several years ago here where I live. A 12 year old boy set it and several people died.


	9. Chapter 9

Lt. Sweetride

Join Me

_Sometimes I feel so wrong_

_Like I'm being held down_

_I feel my heart like a rock, it's sinking_

_These days can get so dark_

_Like an eclipse in the sky_

_But I can rise above_

_I can find the light_

_I can run_

_I can change all the answers_

_Or what I'll hope they'll be_

_I won't stop_

_I won't let my own questions_

_Fade away in my dreams._

Hope, We are Romans

* * *

Elizabeth pushed her way through the crowd. What was it about human nature that made people want to stop and stare as disaster unfolded around them? The excitement practically pulsed around her as the adrenaline from the bystanders combined, creating a heady mix of fear (what will happen?), anticipation (will it be as horrible as I think it will be?), dread or hope (maybe I shouldn't watch. will I have nightmares about this?).

She could taste the familiar tang of this only-too-human dysfunction. It was present at every accident scene, every murder, everywhere there were victims and survivors. War zones were like that in so many ways. Soldiers high on adrenaline to stay alive, until they become numb to survival. Until adrenal exhaustion set in and bystanders were too fatigue to think beyond the overwhelming horror.

But this wasn't a war zone, and these people weren't soldiers. They were just regular people who were (un)lucky enough to have something rather thrilling occur in their otherwise dull day. A potential suicide, and they would be willing witnesses to this man's pain, fear, and ultimately, possibly, have a real spectacle to report back to their friends (his blood was everywhere… brains oozed…he jumped for…) all told with hushed sincerity.

She wasn't there to watch the jumper. She'd been there. Done that. Either he would jump, ending all hope for himself in a single selfish, shortsighted move. Or he would be saved, talked down or otherwise kept from smashing his body to the atrium stones below him.

He stood on the fourth floor of the eight story atrium, lit up by the bright warm sun outside. Plants and greenery provided the backdrop for acting out his personal drama. A team of firefighters were on the main floor below him, blowing up a huge air mat that would try to keep him from splattering to the ground. And she could hear muffled voices from above talking to the man from the same floor. Probably Casey and Severide, the team's two lieutenants. She couldn't see them below at her level, so they must be upstairs.

Chief Boden was speaking into the walkie-talkie on his heavy fire fighting coat, and the men working on the air mat began rushing even faster, nervously looking up to the frightened suicidal man on the wrong side of the upper floor balcony. Things were coming to a head, even before the mat was completely ready.

Her eyes stayed riveted on the men above. As if in slow motion, the distraught man turned and spoke over his shoulder to the firefighter to his right, taking his hands off the rail with a sob. She could see him start to fall slowly, when suddenly a blur of navy blue jumped over the railing and wrapped the man up in his arms. Both men hung there, suspended 40 feet above the ground, held by a single yellow rope.

Slowly, they started being lowered to the ground. The suicidal man crying and begging the larger dark haired man to not let him go. Elizabeth's heart was in her throat when she saw Kelly's face smiling as he held the man, getting him to the ground. The room erupted into applause, startling her enough to start breathing again.

Kelly touched the air mat, stumbling slightly at the unevenness as he released the other man to the police officers that stood waiting to arrest him. Otis helped Kelly off the mat. Unfazed by the outpouring of excitement and applause, Kelly started unhooking the ropes and harness.

She saw him walk over to Chief Boden who gave Kelly a pat on the back, the two men smiling the whole time. And she knew the moment Kelly had caught sight of her, his smile getting larger as he turned to walk over to her.

Her already rapidly beating heart sped up as he sauntered towards her. He had that confident sexy roll of his hips that guys had that told you they were just incredible in the sack. She swallowed hard as he stopped directly in front of her, close enough to feel his body heat but not touching. It was really quite distracting.

He chuckled softly when she slowly shook her head. "Rescue squad, huh?"

"That's us baby. Rescue squad," he said proudly, his voice soft and deep, a conversation for just the two of them, despite the crowd, particularly the women, watching.

Damn he was fine. Every cell in her body screamed for some sort of release from the onslaught of stimulus he provided, especially now. Especially after a dangerous, impressive life-saving dive to save a man falling through air. How very common Elizabeth, turned on watching a rescue! Clearly, her battle fatigue was wearing off.

"You must have balls of brass covered in titanium to do this every day."

Kelly's eyebrows shot up and he laughed loudly, drawing the attention of some of those not watching them already. His hand reached up and tucked a stray hair back behind her ear, leaning over to whisper, "I can't wait for you to find out."

She pursed her lips and smirked. "Do you have a suit?" She asked suddenly.

"Of course, why?"

"With balls like that, I'm thinking you can handle my family and all the danger and drama that entails. That is, if you still want to." Surely a guy who ran into burning buildings and dove off of 40 ft. platforms could handle meeting her family. She'd throw him out there and see how he did.

Kelly grinned, "Hell yes!"

She nodded, amused at his uninformed enthusiasm. He might not be so excited a few hours from now. "Tonight. Capital Grille. 8:00. Try not to be late." She ran a finger lightly down the front of his jacket, tapped his chest quickly twice and turned and walked away.

Kelly trotted down the corridor, "Hey Shay!" Shay turned around, eyebrows raised in unspoken question.

"Can you do me a favor?" He started to wheedle.

"Maybe," her eyes narrowed, suspicious of this almost jocular Kelly Severide that stood in front of her.

"Can you make a stop at the apartment? I need you to pick out a suit, shirt, tie maybe. Get my shoes and some socks."

"What?" Severide almost never wore a suit, went to great extremes to avoid them usually.

"I'm going to the Capital Grille tonight with Elizabeth. I'm meeting her family, and I need to wear a suit."

"You're meeting her family already? When did this happen?"

"Just now, at the hospital call. I guess she figured if I could dive off buildings, I could face her dad and brothers. At least that is sort of what she said."

"What did she actually say?"

Kelly shuffled his feet, embarrassed. "That I 'had brass balls covered in titanium' to pull off that stunt and she figured that meant I was capable of meeting her family."

Shay chuckled. "Yeah, ok. For you two, and your pair, I'll get something together. Which suit?"

"What do you think?" Kelly asked nervously.

Shay pursed her lips, chewing on the inside of her cheek looking him over and mentally ticking off what was in his closet. "The midnight blue one. With a black shirt and tie. You'll look amazing." Shay had a great sense of style, and Kelly was sure she would do him right.

"Great. Yeah, um, thanks." Kelly stammered.

"You ok?"

"I'm going to give Halstead a call and see what he has to say. I don't really know anything about her family. A head's up would be nice."

Shay nodded in agreement, "Dawson and I will head over there in the ambo. I'll bring everything back here, right?"

"Yeah, I have to be there at 8."

"That's going to be cutting it close."

"She said not to be late."

Shay snorted. "You're going to be late. It is just a matter of how late."

Kelly frowned at her, already having his phone out to dial Halstead. He headed back down the hallway towards the squad table.

"Hey, Halstead. Severide. Yeah, good man. Um, listen, Elizabeth asked me to join her family for dinner tonight."

"Really? Already? You're going to their bi-monthly-whether-they-need-to-or-not family gatherings? Hmph."

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"Severide, other than me, she hasn't taken anyone to one of these things in years. Do you have any idea what you are getting into?"

Severide sat at the table, surrounded by squad, including Clarke and they all listened intently to his side of the conversation.

"No. I was hoping that you would do me a solid and help me out by telling me."

"Oh, no way. This is way too much fun. I can't wait to hear about it."

"Come on man!"

"Hey, opposition research Severide. Do some."

"Opposition research?" Severide watched as Jeff Clarke pulled out his phone and started typing in a name to google.

"Yeah, find out everything you can, in what, six hours? I'll even give you a name to start with, 'McCormick, Dustin McCormick."

At the same time the name was rolling off Halstead's tongue, Clarke held his cell phone so Severide could read the screen. A family picture taken on Lake Michigan a few years ago showed Dustin McCormick, sons Greg and Dominic McCormick, and his daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Talbot.

Severide tilted his head back in defeat and sighed into the phone, "I am so screwed."

Jay Halstead's laugh came through the phone loud and clear, matched by Clarke's understated smirk.

* * *

The Capital Grille was where grown-ups went to dine. High end, with high-backed leather covered booths, and softly lit sumptuous service. At 8:00 on a Friday night, the place was packed with at least an hour wait list for a table. But that was of no concern for the McCormick party, as they enjoyed their cocktails in the lower level private dining room. The walls were lined with expensive and rare wines as well as black and white historical photos of Chicago.

Elizabeth listened as her brother's longtime girlfriend droned on about New York and her inability to find someone decent to do her hair. Her father tried to pay attention graciously, but was struggling with this newest low in narcissism. She caught his eye and smiled behind her Manhattan glass. God forbid, her brother ever marry this bubble-headed woman. The McCormick gene pool might never recover.

She kept a nervous eye on the doorway that led from above, waiting for Kelly. She wondered if he'd gotten cold feet. It was already a quarter after and while in some families that might not amount to being late much, if at all, in hers, he might as well have been more than an hour late.

This was a mistake. She shouldn't have asked him. It wasn't fair to expect him to waltz in here and battle her family's demons, when he hadn't even had time to learn hers yet. While he was arrogant, and brash, and brave, and good looking as hell, all the courage and looks in the world weren't enough to face off this group.

It wasn't that her family was bad or evil or mean. It was just complicated. Politics, money, history all made for a most unusual group of individuals for a stranger to meet. And other than his brash courage and handsome bravado, he didn't have anything in common with these people. She finished off her drink, ice cubes clinking in the crystal glass. It was really a terrible thing she was doing and she looked discretely at her watch, wondering if she could call and cancel or if it was too late.

Alexis, the model handsome Grille maître de, walked through the low wooden door, leading a breathtakingly beautiful Kelly Severide. His dark hair combed neatly to the side and he was clean shaven. His dark blue suit brought his piercing blue eyes to an even greater brightness. He wore a black shirt against the blue and no tie. Elizabeth grinned, a statement to his individuality by not wearing a tie. She liked that.

She smiled and immediately moved to the doorway to take Alexis' charge from him, which the maître de was reluctant to leave. Apparently, Alexis could recognize a fine specimen whether it be steak, wine, or man. "Thank you Alexis. I appreciate you bringing my guest down yourself."

"Of course, Dr. Talbot. It was my pleasure." Alexis gave Kelly one more look over and returned up the stairs.

A quirked eyebrow from Kelly at Alexis' retreat had Elizabeth laughing. "I think our maître de saw something on the menu he would enjoy sampling," she teased, leaning up and kissing Kelly lightly. "Thank you for coming."

Kelly's eyes flashed and he nuzzled her nose. "Sorry I'm late. There was a thing." She chuckled at his use of her vague terminology for anything she didn't want to discuss.

"Jumping off more balconies?" she whispered conspiratorially as she led him towards her father.

He leaned over to her ear, "Just a car accident. Nothing dramatic."

She nodded as smiled up at him as she brought them to a halt in front of her father. "Daddy, I'd like you to meet Lt. Kelly Severide of the Chicago Fire Department."

"Senator." Kelly said, shaking the tall man's hand. Elizabeth's father was a handsome man, in good shape and clearly physically active. He had gray hair but clear blue eyes and a sense of power emanated from him.

"Lt. What a pleasure to meet a friend of my daughter's. She so rarely brings anyone around." The senator's hand was warm and dry and his grip strong. His smile was welcoming and he was clearly thrilled to meet him. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Thank you sir. Yes, please," looking around and not seeing any beer, Kelly went with the next best, "Whiskey, neat."

While Elizabeth's father went to get Kelly's drink from the private bar, her two brothers came up and introduced themselves. The older brother Greg McCormick was a tall man, about Kelly's height and dressed in what was no doubt a very expensive suit. He had dark brown hair and his father's blue eyes. The younger brother, Dominic was tall and thinner, paler than either the father or other siblings. Dominic looked like he might be a couple of drinks into the party already.

Kelly sized up the two brothers as he knew he was being judged. Elizabeth held onto his arm lightly and he liked having her there for quiet support. He was in this on his own, sort of a sink or swim thing. She wouldn't have invited him if she didn't think he could pass the test, and his own confidence was never an issue.

"Chicago Fire Department. So which house? What do you do?" Greg asked as Elizabeth's father returned with Kelly's drink. He accepted it graciously, taking a small sip of the not surprisingly fine whiskey.

"House 51. I'm Lt. of the rescue squad on my shift."

"What does rescue squad do?" the younger brother asked, as his girlfriend sidled up to him.

"Dominic, introduce us," the beautiful blonde whined, placing her hand on Kelly's shoulder. "I'm Sienna," she ran her hand down his suit front, without waiting for Dominic to introduce her.

Elizabeth coldly said, "Sienna, don't touch." She looked at her brother Dominic, eye brows raised in irritation. "Really Dom? We haven't even eaten yet."

Kelly looked between the brother and sister, avoiding looking at the pouty faced girlfriend completely. Clearly this was a long term issue between them, and he just kept his mouth shut.

At the expression on his sister's face, Dominic took Sienna's hand and led her towards the set table. "Good point, Lizzie. Let's eat."

Elizabeth glared at her brother, but followed her father's lead to the table. Elizabeth sat next to her father, Kelly next to her, and everyone else followed. Dinner and wine was ordered and the conversation turned to politics, finance, and sports. Kelly kept his mouth shut on politics, unless asked something directly. He had no opinion about Wall Street finance and could easily discuss all sports.

"So Kelly, we never did hear what rescue squad did in the fire department," Elizabeth's father asked.

"We're the first in for search and rescue in fires. We handle accident scenes. We do all the repelling, climbing, underwater and water rescues."

"So your team must have some special skills."

"Yes sir. We all have multiple special certifications; we're EMTs as well."

"Did you save anyone's life today? Fight a fire?" Dominic asked, somewhere between curiosity and a sneer. Kelly didn't think Dominic liked him much, but given his girlfriend had thrown herself at him when he first walked in, he guessed he couldn't blame him.

Kelly looked at Elizabeth, and turned back to Dominic. "There's always someone to rescue," he said modestly.

"Is that what you're doing with my sister?"

Shocked, Kelly laughed at the aggressive punk that was her brother. "I'm pretty sure your sister doesn't need saving. She can handle herself every time."

"That's what we hear. Uber-trauma doctor, front lines savior of soldiers, whatever."

"Dominic! That is enough," Senator McCormick roared, her father's patience had come to an abrupt end.

Elizabeth's hand went to Kelly's under the table and squeezed. When he looked over at her, he could see a slight sheen of tears in her eyes. "Maybe we should go?" he asked.

She nodded and sighed. He excused himself for the rest room. They would leave when he got back.

Elizabeth barely listened as her father railed against Dominic now that it was just family. Sienna excused herself and stumbled to the restroom, leaving just the immediate family in the room. Lisa, Greg's wife came over to Elizabeth standing at the bar and apologized.

"Why are you sorry Lisa? You barely tolerate these things just as I do. You didn't turn Dominic into the pathetic creature he is today. You and Greg didn't cause this disaster. I had just hoped…"

"Kelly seems really nice. I'm sure he'll be fine with tonight. No one's family is perfect."

"It was too soon. I shouldn't have invited him. Politics and bills and finance are too dull for anyone who isn't in them. And then of course Dominic and Sienna," Elizabeth looked around the room noticing Sienna wasn't back yet, and neither was Kelly. "Oh no!" she cried. "What has she gone and done now?"

Elizabeth picked up her purse and stalked up the stairs towards the bathroom only to find Sienna pawing Kelly in the hallway leading towards the rest rooms. Kelly was holding her hands away from him and she just kept coming on to him.

"Jesus Sienna," Elizabeth hissed, slapping Sienna out of her drunken attempt at seduction. She grabbed her arm and yanked her away from Severide, spinning the girl to face her. "Next time you touch him, I will remove your hand. You know I will do it."

Elizabeth was flushed and her eyes wild with anger. Her family, this drunken slut of a girlfriend, her embarrassment and shame just crawled up her skin. "Get back downstairs and leave us alone. Don't ever come back to anything our family has. I won't allow it!"

"You can't do that!" the girl screeched. "I'm Dominic's girlfriend and he invites me."

Elizabeth's voice dropped low and frigid. "I can. I will."

Kelly utterly believed her. Apparently so did Sienna because she began to back away and stumble back down to the dining room.

A tear fell down Elizabeth's cheek and then another. Kelly reached for her and drew her to his chest, holding her tightly. "Don't cry, baby. It's ok."

"Nothing about this night has been ok, Kelly. I was wrong to invite you here. You must think I'm a monster."

"Why would I think that?" he asked softly, lifting her chin to look in her eyes.

"Because they're monstrous and I'm related."

Kelly laughed. "You haven't met my dad. Wait till you hear about him! I'm afraid you'll run for the door. But we aren't our families, Elizabeth. You are not your brothers or your father. You are your own person who has dedicated her life to helping others, to a life of service. That they can't appreciate what that really means says a lot about them, and just the opposite about you. Besides, it wasn't a total loss. Your dad is pretty cool. I think Greg might grow on me a bit, we have sports in common at least. Lisa didn't say much, so I don't really know about her."

Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip. "I think my dad actually liked you. Not that it matters if he did or didn't. He didn't like Jay at first, but now they're buds."

"Jay and your dad? Really?"

Elizabeth wiped her nose indelicately with her hand. "We have to go say goodbye and then we can leave. I can take a taxi home if you want."

"Why would I want you to take a taxi? I drove so we could go out afterwards."

"You still want to go out?"

"Sure. Or I'll take you home. Whatever. But we are all dressed up, and I have to say Dr. Talbot, you look hot tonight."

She gave him a wry grin. "Glad you noticed, 'cause you look too good to not take out. Molly's? I could deal with a reminder how the real people live."

"Perfect."

A/N: Reviews feed the soul. Please leave them!


	10. Chapter 10

Lt. Sweetride

Dance with Me

_When you came in the air went out_

_And all those shadows there filled up with doubt_

_I don't know who you think you are_

_But before the night is through_

_I wanna do bad things with you_

_I wanna do real bad things with you_

Bad Things, Jace Everett

* * *

Comfortably silent, Kelly drove through the dark streets of Chicago. The night so far had proved interesting. Elizabeth's family was something else, unlike any he had met before. A powerful father, a Type-A overachieving brother, and another who was just the opposite from what he could tell. Where did her sense of service, of duty come from? It didn't seem to have come from those he met this evening.

He raised the warm hand he held to his lips and kissed it, smiling slightly as she sighed into the darkness. She rested on the headrest, eyes closed, and toe tapping to the country station he had playing softly.

"Too tired for Molly's?" he wondered.

"Not a chance, Sweetride. I want to play. I want to dance," she grinned.

"You think I can dance?"

"You did the other night…"

"That's more of a shuffle while holding you. Not really dancing."

"Well, we can do that, and when I really wanna dance, you can watch," her eyes met his, teasing.

"I can do that." He kissed her hand again before changing the subject, "Where did helping people come from? I didn't see a great deal of care about everyman at dinner tonight. Where'd you get yours from?"

She snorted unladylike. "What, a Senator isn't serving everyman?"

"I don't know your dad very well, but I think most Senators are serving themselves, not their constituents. It's about power and ego, not about helping the little guy."

Elizabeth nodded in the darkness, the light from a passing car illuminating her creamy skin, "I think that sums it up rather kindly myself. Politics is not for me. But it is for my family. My mom was my biggest influence. She died a while ago. She was the one who did the philanthropy, had the concern for those less fortunate. So, now that falls to me. Singularly. I took her maiden name in honor of her."

"I wondered about the name."

"I love my work with a couple charities and the museum. I have really enjoyed traveling with Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF. It's my way of giving back. With great reward, comes greater responsibility. I've tried to live my life by that. I have so much. The least I can do is give in whatever way I can. Even if that isn't as much true for my family. I do it for my mother."

Kelly was silent. She was remarkable. "I wish I could have met your mom."

Elizabeth smiled silently and squeezed his hand, letting go and resting it on his hard thigh. "What about your mom?"

"She's dead too. She was a wonderful woman, and so is my grandmother. They both raised me."

"And your dad?"

Kelly cracked his neck with a quick twist, a nervous habit. "My dad was a firefighter. A Battalion Chief. My mom was three wives ago. I just found out not too long ago I have a half-sister who's 21 years old. About the same time my dad left us." The bitterness in his voice was impossible to miss. "And there are a slew of other half-siblings, some of them quite young. I guess they are into soccer."

"So your dad wasn't around much when you were growing up?"

"Whenever the going got tough, my dad bailed. He bails still." Kelly paused, and looked over at Elizabeth, wanting to make her understand, "But I'm not Benny."

It was her turn to remain silent. She took his hand and raised it to her lips, kissing his palm with her open mouth, intending to distract, to support. She brought it back to her bare thigh and let it rest there, tangled loosely in her fingers.

His thumb stretched out to stroke along the bare strip where the dark blue cloth of her skirt separated, leaving a slit up to there. "You know this has been really distracting tonight." His voice had regained its deep sleepy drawl, teasing her.

"I was wondering if you'd noticed," she complained, sort of.

"I noticed. You have no idea how much I noticed. You look incredible. What is this material?" he asked fingering the satiny silk that made up her skirt and top.

"Silk," she answered as she watched a single calloused finger slowly explore her leg.

"It feels like watery velvet it is so soft. Just like your skin," he pulled up in front of Molly's and parked. She unhooked her seatbelt and turned towards him slightly in the seat. "Way too much skin showing."

"Complaining Lt.?"

"Not at all," he growled as he leaned over to kiss her exposed shoulder. The blouse had large key holes cut into the shoulders, and was cropped high on her waist. "You smell so good, Elizabeth. Like flowers and something else, something grittier, muskier. Not too sweet. I like it."

Her hand went to the back of his head, "You sound like you've given the scent some thought, Sweetride. I guess you don't recognize it."

He chuckled, "Yes to having given it some thought, and no I don't recognize it. I'll plead guilty to trying to figure it out at the perfume counter at the mall. But nothing was quite right." He leaned forward, bending at the waist, his nose nuzzling her bare waist, tongue reaching out to taste her. "Do you smell that way all over?"

Her hand at the back of his head tightened as her back arched against his mouth against her exposed waist. "Jesus, Kelly. You are just too much, dangerous man." He liked hearing the breathless catch in her voice.

He laughed quietly as he raised his head to her face, "Not dangerous to you, never to you." Their lips met and he kissed her slow and deep, wanting to crawl inside of her.

She broke away and sighed, "If we are going in, we should do that now. Otherwise…" She left the sentence incomplete, but the meaning was clear.

"Well, since I said we weren't going to sleep together, the safer option is to go inside."

She waited until he came around her side of the car to open the door, holding her hand as he helped her to the sidewalk. "Kelly, when we finally have sex, we will definitely not be sleeping."

"When, not if?"

"Definitely when."

He chuckled as he walked slightly behind her, his hand at her back, opening the heavy door into Molly's. "Definitely."

The place was packed and Kelly was immediately pulled aside by someone near the door. Elizabeth spotted Jay, letting go of Severide's hand and heading towards her friend. Kelly watched distractedly as she walked slowly through the crowd, her hips rolling gracefully under the tight long skirt. He knew just how far up the slit went and he wasn't thrilled with his friends, or strangers, gawking at the beauty queen cutting through the crowd like a knife through warm butter. The men stood aside with appreciative looks, the women anywhere from curious to antagonistic.

Halstead had seen them come in and lounged back against the high wooden table, his legs spread wide and his boots hooked over the lower rim of his chair. He looked relaxed and casual, and entirely too taken with Elizabeth.

While Otis and Mouch tried to convince him of something he was sure he wasn't interested in, he watched as Elizabeth put her hands on Halstead's thighs and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He watched them laughing about something and his eyes narrowed when he saw Jay's hands come to rest on Elizabeth's hips. Friends or not, this was too much. Damn he wished Halstead was gay.

Curtly, he waved off the guys and headed for Elizabeth and Jay. He slipped up behind them nestling his wavering arousal against her ass, his hands pushing Jay's out of the way and taking possession. He glared at Halstead's smirk as he just repositioned his hands a little higher on her waist. She leaned back against Severide, turning her head to the side and rubbing against his neck.

"Lucky girl. Sandwiched between my two favorite guys." Her voice was breathy and deep. Severide growled as the image of her on all fours, taking him from behind while she sucked Halstead off overwhelmed his senses. Suddenly, his somewhat ambivalent erection became quite explicit in its desires.

He lifted his head from the hair on her shoulder only to see her eyes, wide with surprise, her mouth slightly open before she bit her lip slightly. He groaned and whispered in her ear, "You are killing me here."

"Dying isn't exactly what I think is up with you, Sweetride," she smirked at his discomfort. "You have a very dirty mind!"

Jay snorted at her attempt at innocence. "You are a master at the innuendo, Liz. You leave the rest of us only dying in your wake."

"Such drama for what was an innocent, and TRUE remark," she protested.

"Nothing innocent about that, babe," Halstead argued.

Severide just shook his head, "I need a drink. Manhattan?"

She nodded and smiled, "I'll go with you."

"Good, you can walk in front of me. People will be too distracted by you to notice my raging hard-on," Kelly growled in her ear as they turned towards the bar.

Shay saw them coming and had a long neck beer and her Manhattan ready for them when they finally made the counter. Kelly tipped his head at her in thanks, while Elizabeth picked up his beer and held the cold bottle to his cheek.

"I think someone needs to cool down a bit," she gave him a wry grin.

"I think of the two of us, you are definitely the more dangerous," he took the beer from her hand and took a long pull from the bottle. He watched while she fished the cherry and stem out of her drink, plucking the cherry from the end and holding it between her teeth before sucking it into her mouth and swallowing. He licked his lips and pulled her against him. She put the stem in her mouth and seconds later, pulled it out, tied in a knot.

"I am so screwed here," Severide sighed.

"Not screwed. Not here," she taunted. "Dance?"

"I might combust if I hold you any closer."

She wiggled against him, took a big sip from her glass, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm going to go dance then."

"I'll watch." Severide pulled his jacket off and hung it over the back of the chair at the bar. He sank into hard wooden seat and turned to watch the impromptu dance floor. Springsteen was on and he watched as Dawson, Shay and Elizabeth all rocked out to Born to Run. Journey, Aerosmith, and the Eagles all followed while the girls, along with more and more people joining them, let their hair down and danced. Elizabeth danced with abandon, just for herself, comfortable in her body and living in the moment.

Halstead joined him at the bar and took a seat, ordering another whiskey. They both watched as Shay and Elizabeth danced to Lou Reed's Walk on the Wildside. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought Shay and Elizabeth were a couple. Get over it Severide. You seriously need to get laid! Not everything is about sex, but tonight, it seemed like it just might be.

"Lt.," a woman's voice pierced the fog he found himself in as he watched his girlfriend grind against another woman. Better than grinding against a guy… Distracted, Severide turned to see the tall brunette standing beside him, her hand on his arm.

"Jones," he said curtly.

"I got assigned to 51. I'll be in your House," she sounded entirely too excited about that. Kelly looked at her hand on his arm and back up to her face, eyebrows raised, a blank look on his face. She saw her hand and moved it.

"Ok," he was disinterested in whatever it was she was talking about. She had that greedy look in her eye. The one that spelled a disconcerted interest in him, and he was not interested. Not now, not ever.

"Wanna dance?" she asked eagerly, flipping her hair.

He scowled, "Yeah, I do." He got up from the chair and headed to reclaim Elizabeth. He didn't see Jones' shoulders fall in frustration, nor would he have cared if he had.

He grabbed Elizabeth from behind and spun her around to him just as a slower song conveniently come over the sound set. Molly's really did need a better sound system if they were going to have dancing, even on this small dance floor. She settled her arms around his neck, one hand buried in his hair. His hands went around her bare waist, calloused hands rough on her soft skin.

Bob Dylan sang about asking his momma to take his badge off of him, knocking on Heaven's door. They swayed against each other, looking into the other's eyes. Kelly groaned and hung his head back when the slow songs ended, only to be met with Joan Jett screaming about hating herself for loving you. He sort of stood there and swayed to the music while Elizabeth danced around him, touching him, sliding against him, singing the lyrics while she flipped her head around as if she was singing. I think of you every night and day… Can't break free from the things that you do…

The low bass of Jace Everett came over the speakers and Elizabeth started to slide up and down him, undulating slowly against him. I don't know what you've done to me, but I wanna do bad things with you. God did he ever! She was making him crazy with the touches, the strokes, the moving against him.

"Let's get a drink," she panted in his ear.

He just dumbly nodded and led her off the floor, reclaiming their seats at the bar next to Halstead. She swallowed the watered down Manhattan and asked for another, sucking on the melting ice in her old drink. "I'm hot," she announced to Kelly and Jay.

He tilted his head and laughed, "Yes, you are."

She smirked, knowing what he was talking about. She frowned as the tall brunette came up behind Kelly, tapping him on the shoulder. "My turn?" she asked, looking over at Elizabeth and back to Kelly, expectantly.

"Nope. Not now, not ever, Jones," Kelly said, shaking his head. "Jones, meet my girlfriend, Dr. Elizabeth Talbot." Maybe now she would get the idea.

Elizabeth just raised an eyebrow, along with her drink, dismissing her completely.

"Go away now, Jones."

The woman frowned and pursed her lips, looking Elizabeth over and turning to walk away. He could almost see her do a mental foot stomp. She was going to be trouble.

"Old friend?" Elizabeth asked when Kelly turned back to her.

"New Candidate. She was in one of my classes at the Academy. I guess now that she's graduated, she thinks she has a chance at teacher."

Halstead laughed, "She doesn't seem to get the message, man. You already turned her down once."

"I already fought off one woman pawing at you tonight, now there is another?"

Kelly shrugged. "Jealous?" She didn't have any reason to be, she blew these other women out of the water.

"Annoyed I think."

"At them or me?"

"I'm not sure yet," she answered honestly, considering what she really thought. "It would be nice if women didn't feel somehow compelled to hit on you all the time. It's actually offensive to both of us. You- they think of as some piece of meat. Me- they somehow don't consider worthy of any sort of consideration or competition. Women behaving badly." She shook her head.

Halstead spoke up, "Pretty sure they consider you competition, but maybe they're hoping Severide isn't beyond a little on the side."

Kelly rolled his eyes in frustration. "Despite what you might believe, either of you, I have never cheated when I've been in a relationship. I just don't get into relationships very often. I don't do a 'little on the side.'"

Elizabeth took another big drink of her Manhattan. "Take me home, Kelly." His heart fell into his stomach until she wrapped her arms around his neck. She stood slightly on tip toe to bring her lips even with his. Pressing their lips together, her tongue slipped out begging entrance. He immediately opened, tasting the whiskey and sweet cherry in her mouth. She kissed him hard and deep and he felt all the air leave the room as she claimed him there in front of everyone.

She pulled away, looking in his eyes, "You're mine," she declared.

He nodded, "And you're mine, Elizabeth Talbot."

Kelly slipped his jacket over her shoulders and led her out into the chilly nighttime air.

A/N: I just might write the three way scene and post it to my AO3 account. Much too hot for the likes of here. Anyone interested?


	11. Chapter 11

Lt. Sweetride

Believe in Me

_Picture life before I knew you._

_It was, It was Alright, It was Ok_

_I'll paint my life before I loved you_

_There were, never pictures in the hallway_

_There were no fireworks._

_There was no grand allure._

_That only happened when you came through my door._

_And oh now_

_Life feels more than amazing_

_In your eyes_

_It feels like I've been stargazing._

~Stargazing, Leon Jackson

* * *

The couple stood on the granite gravel driveway, under the darkest part of the night sky. They held hands and leaned against the cooling Mustang's engine.

"This is more stars than I've ever seen before, Liz," Kelly said, staring up at the stars.

"It is beautiful, isn't it? There's the Milky Way right up there. Do you see where the stars become so frequent there is almost a white glow to them?"

"Beautiful," he replied, squeezing her hand.

Elizabeth rolled her head on the hood, taking her eyes off of the twinkling gems of the night to look at Kelly. "I have an idea. Do you have to be anywhere?"

He dropped his head over to look at her. "There is no place I would rather be than right here with you."

She grinned and pulled his arm up, dragging him with her. "Come on." She opened huge door to her home and typed in the security code. "Go into the garage, through there," she motioned to the far side of the house. "There are some cabinets on the far wall. Check the one marked 'Camping' and pull out some sleeping bags and a tarp. Whatever else you think we might need. It's cold now. It'll get colder still. I'm going to change real quick."

She was talking quickly, already half way up the stairs when he asked, "What are we going to do?"

"Stargazing," she turned towards him, her hand holding onto the banister of the winding staircase. "And there's a wagon. Bring that too."

"Yes, m'am." Stargzing! Ok, then! Kelly headed towards a part of the house he had never been in, briefly taking in the art and antiques from around the world. Elizabeth had eclectic and probably very expensive taste from what he could see. He saw Buddha's of different shapes and sizes alongside some Indian goddesses, and some ancient looking Christian religious icons. Mixed in and around were some carved wooden masks and figurines that looked African to him, but he couldn't really be sure. At some point, he hoped he could actually take the time to look at everything and have her tell him about her collections.

Kelly opened the garage door and stopped short when he flipped the light on. Neatly organized with stained wood cabinets, there were labels on everything. The floor was clean and filled with two cars and three ATVs. He'd seen the loaded Range Rover before, but his hand floated longingly over the stunningly rebuilt silver 1967 Austin Healey roadster. Damn! She had really good taste. He'd love to drive it! He checked the interior and wondered what it sounded like under the hood. He was definitely going to ask to drive it someday, someday soon.

He fumbled around in the garage, finding everything exactly where she said it would be. Her garage was not unlike the Squad truck… everything had a place and everything was in it. Pulling a filled wagon behind him, he met her as she came down the stairs. Hanging loose, her hair went almost to her waist at its longest. She'd changed into a Blackhawks hoodie and yoga pants, wearing running shoes as well. He just stood there taking her in.

"Did you find everything?"

He nodded, "Including the Austin Healey. Wow!"

"You like that, huh?"

"You know I do."

"Play your cards right, maybe I'll let you drive it."

"I will play any card you want to drive that."

"Hmm…" she looked him over, still in his dark blue suit. She pursed her lips, and nodded to him to come up. "Follow me. We need to get you something else to wear."

"I don't think anything of yours is going to fit me, Liz," he said as he started to follow her up the wide staircase.

She just grinned back at him and led the way upstairs as he pulled on her hoodie, tagging along behind. She entered a guest bedroom down from where he had seen her come out earlier. Elizabeth started going through shirts, pulling out an old Journey t-shirt and another hoodie, this time from Harvard. "Here, these should fit you," she said, handing him the clothing. "I don't have any jeans or sweats or shoes unfortunately."

"I've got my boots in the trunk. Pants will have to do though. He tossed his jacket onto the bed, and realizing she was watching started to very slowly unbutton his black shirt. He liked the hungry look she had in her eyes as she watched button after button slip undone, exposing bare skin underneath. She licked her lip, her pink tongue just peeking out until small teeth bit down on her lower lip. He wanted to groan and sink to his knees in front of her. Something about her made him weak.

He stood in front of her, shirt unbuttoned and hanging loose and watched her worry her lower lip as she walked towards him. "Can I?" she asked breathily.

"You can do anything you want, baby." They weren't going to have sex, but a little touching would go a long way to easing his torment.

Her velvety hands slipped under his shirt and went to his shoulders, lifting the shirt off his body and pulling it down, letting it fall to the ground where he stood. His mouth went dry as her nails scratched down his chest, over his exposed and hard nipples, lingering over each raised abdominal muscle.

"How do you get abs like this?" she wondered softly, absorbed in the exploration of his body.

"Hard work," he growled as her breath whispered across his skin.

"Not just any kind of hard work, Sweetride. I've never seen abs like this before. It's, you, are an impressive male specimen."

He raised his eyebrows, "Is that what I am? A specimen?"

She laughed lightly, "Poor choice of words," as her hands kept moving over his chest, mapping his body into her memory. "You should probably get dressed now," she uttered as she stepped away from him, taking her warmth with her and leaving him cool in the indoor air.

"As you wish," he smirked as he pulled on the borrowed t-shirt. Neither one of them 'wished' it but getting dressed was a good idea as he fought kneeling and devouring her. The t-shirt had a well-worn feel to it, an old concert t-shirt from 8 years ago. "Journey huh? Did you see them in concert?"

"Then? No. Not that concert, but later." She was still watching him hungrily, eyes gleaming in the lamp lit bedroom.

"And Harvard? These are your brothers?" They were too big to be hers.

Elizabeth smirked, "Trophies."

"Trophies?"

"I steal men's t-shirts," she grinned and laughed. "My absolute worst habit." She thought for a moment, considering, "Ok, maybe not my worst, but up there."

"So these belong to guys you once dated?" Kelly found this whole topic of conversation hilarious.

She wiggled her neck, moving her head back and forth, "More like dated once."

"You stole your 'one and done's' clothes? For trophies?"

"One and done? You've been talking to Jay!" Only Jay would have the gall to call her lovers one and done.

"Oops. Wasn't supposed to tell you about that."

She shrugged, "Whatever."

"So who did these belong to? Do you remember?" He was almost afraid she wouldn't, but then he couldn't begin to remember all his lover's names either.

"The t-shirt, a 6'4" Swede. Totally memorable. The Harvard hoodie, an Italian soccer player. Totally forgettable."

"Apparently not as you can place the shirt with him."

"Only thing worth remembering."

He followed her down the stairs. This was an interesting side to Elizabeth. She was a sort of kleptomaniac about ex-lover's clothing. "So what was so memorable about the Swede? Besides his height."

"Fantastic sex against the wall," she got a silly smile on her face. "Very memorable." She opened the fridge door and pulled out some beers, cheese, and crackers from the pantry. She grabbed a small cooler and filled it full of ice, putting the beers and cheese in.

"So there is a pretty high bar set for sex against the wall, huh?" Kelly teased.

"Definitely. Also not something I imagine you will have a difficult time exceeding," she looked over the newly opened beer she handed him, the heat from her eyes scorching him.

"I'll keep that in mind. I've always been a bit of an overachiever."

Elizabeth snorted as she led the way to the front door, "I would expect nothing less from the guy who beat floor records in training and was the youngest squad member ever."

"You looked me up," he said, surprised.

"Of course. Just like you did me for tonight. Besides, while maybe we've just been out once on a real date, we've enjoyed each other's company several times. More than my usual one and done." She sighed as she locked the door behind her, the dogs going crazy at her feet. She rested her hands on his now clothed chest, "Something about you Lt. Sweetride. Just looking at you makes my toes curl."

"Just your toes?" he leaned into to her, nuzzling her neck, nibbling on the soft skin hiding under her hair.

"I'd say I'm in a perpetual state of lustful confusion."

"Confused about what?" that was not what he expected to hear. They turned on the flashlights he had thoughtfully gathered and headed into the pitch black side yard. It wasn't really a yard, more like a football field, mowed, empty, perfect for playing a game or camping.

"You are precisely the type I run screaming from. So why the hell am I not running? I can't figure it out. Hence, confusion."

Kelly pulled her to a stop in the darkness. "I get confusion. It's weird for me too. It's only been a few dates and it feels like," his head fell towards hers, resting on her forehead, "like the best thing I've ever had. Don't run. Stay with me."

Elizabeth gave him a small smile and tugged him towards the far end of the field, where it was darkest black velvet night. "This is a good place. Let's put the tarp here."

Kelly dug through the wagon and lifted the tarp out, including spikes to hold it down. She unfolded the double sleeping bag Kelly found and laid it on top of the tarp, along with feather pillows she took from her bed inside. She placed the cooler close to the impromptu bed, along with an unlit lantern. He unzipped one side of the bags and helped her climb in. She slipped her shoes off and slid between the cool covers. Kelly slid in beside her, settling in comfortably beside her, taking her hand while they lay face up watching the sky above.

"Is that-?" Kelly asked, as he watched a star speeding through the sky above.

"Shooting star. Maybe the Perseus meteor shower?" They laid there and counted falling stars together, sharing constellations they found or made up based on the star patterns.

As the meteor shower slowed, Elizabeth yawned as she finished her last beer and curled against Kelly's chest as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, hugging her to him.

"Can we stay here?" she whispered.

"As you wish," he sighed, kissing her temple. They lay there a while longer in silence, listening to the musical cadence of the nighttime crickets and rhythmic strumming of the locusts all set to the metronome of their heart beats.

"Kelly, would you do something for me?" she asked, picking at some imagined lint on his borrowed sweat shirt.

He slowly rolled her under him, holding himself over her slightly. "Anything," he said, and he meant it. Absolutely. He would do anything for her.

She held his face between her hands, eyes locked with his. She bit her lip unconsciously, thinking about what she was asking. "Every time you do that, it drives me crazy."

"Do what?"

"Bite your lower lip. Your teeth chew on your lip nervously, biting it between them. Then your tongue peeks out to soothe the bite. It's the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

"And you've seen a lot I take it."

He shrugged slightly, uncommitted. "Kelly, I want us to get tested."

"Tested for what?"

"Everything. Sexual diseases…HIV, HPV, all the STDs."

"Why?"

"Kelly, baby, we have both been around. I'm always careful, always use protection. When I didn't it was with a real relationship. Unfortunately, he wasn't as considerate and couldn't keep it in his pants." Her voice turned bitter at the memory. "I've been tested since and it's all good, but I want us both to be sure." This was the first time she had ever spoken of the man who had broken her heart and made her hate the players, need the control over relationships. He wanted to learn more, but right now there was a more important topic at hand.

"Ok. But what about condoms?"

"When we finally make love, I don't want anything to come between us. Not even the thinnest sheath of latex. I want us to be together completely."

Kelly swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing against his tanned neck. "Yes. I want that too." And he did. More than anything. He wished he could say he'd always been careful, always wore protection, but he couldn't. If this was what she wanted, he would give it to her. And they would be together completely. And he would convince her that he was a good man. He would be the man she needed him to be.

"Let's go tomorrow," he added. He brought his face to hers, close enough they were sharing breath, smelling the beer that clung to her breath.

She nodded silently as his lips captured hers, gently, softly moving over them. She sighed against him and he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him, tucking her into his side. "Can you tell me about him?"

There was silence, the dogs snoring the only noise besides the crickets. "He was a doctor at the combat hospital in Afghanistan. He was a player, bedding every woman on base. I knew it, and was not interested. He chased, as he always chased, and eventually I let him catch me. I fell in love." She sniffled against his shirt.

"What happened?"

"He couldn't leave his chasing behind. He loved me. But he loved being loved by others. He loved skating the edge of the law, he loved games. He loved the lie."

"And now?"

She shrugged. "He's in England I think."

"Not him. You."

"Me? Now I don't get involved. I control the beginning and the ending, the shorter the better. I won't be humiliated again. I won't go through the drama again."

"So what are we?"

"I wish to hell I knew."

"Elizabeth, I'm not like him. I don't chase women, they are the ones that chase me. I don't lie. I've never cheated on anyone I've been in a relationship with. So whatever you've dealt with in the past, I'm not that guy."

"I want to believe that Kelly. I'm really close to believing it. I just need a little more time, more of you showing me."

She tightened her arm around his chest and buried her head into his chest, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder. "Go to sleep baby. I'm not going anywhere. I will show you every single day. I promise."

A/N: It's like crickets out there! I know you guys are reading, thousands of hits, but not a lot of reviews. Reviews really do help feed the muse, so just leave me some Kelly-love!


	12. Chapter 12

Lt. Sweetride

Win Me

A/N: Super long chapter. A lot happens here and the story finally takes an M turn. If you don't want to read M, it's marked when it switches over.

_I've been a rolling stone all my life_

_Flying all alone, flying blind_

_I've seen it all, I've been around_

_I've been lost and I've been found but_

_Who I am with you is who I really want to be_

_You're so good for me_

_And when I'm holdin' you, it feels like I've got the world in my hands_

_Yeah, a better man is who I am with you_

Who I am With You, Chris Young

* * *

Severide wiped his hand over his eyes as the early morning sun shone down brightly. His other hand swept across the sleeping bag beside him, only to find it cold and empty. Where the hell is she? He lifted his head up and looked around. He was alone. Even the dogs had left him.

She'd taken the coolers and empty beer bottles inside with her, leaving him with the wagon and sleeping bag. He tossed the sleeping bag aside and climbed out, stretching his arms high over his head and then back, rolling his stiff shoulders.

He left the wagon stuffed with the sleeping bag and tarp outside on the portico, and hesitantly opened the front door. Listening for sounds, he heard music and pans clanging in the kitchen. He could smell coffee and something he hoped was sausage and eggs. He was starving.

He wrapped his arms around the woman standing at the stove scrambling eggs. "Smells good. You," he said as he buried his face in her hair, "and the coffee and eggs." His stomach growled as the sausage sizzled in the pan.

"Good morning, L.T.," she bent her head back to kiss his cheek, close to his lips. "How'd you sleep?"

"I slept great, but gotta say I was disappointed when I woke up alone."

She flipped the gas off and turned to him. "Sorry about that. The curse of insomnia. For what it's worth, I slept really well when I did sleep."

"Something we are going to work on, Elizabeth. Your insomnia."

She snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that." She handed him a plate piled high with eggs, sausage, and toast. "Coffee's on too."

He breathed the delicious smells from the plate, taking the fork she offered him and digging in. He sat on one of the bar stools and plowed into the pile of food. Elizabeth set a coffee cup next to him and took a seat across from him, her coffee cup to her lips. She smiled as she watched him eat.

"What are your plans today?" she asked.

Kelly looked up from his food, eyebrows raise. "Thought we were going to get our blood drawn?"

She grinned and laughed, "Ok. That takes an hour. What else?"

"Whatever you would like to do," he paused, "Unless you don't want to hang out today." He didn't care if they just sat around binge-watching Netflix, but maybe she didn't feel the same way.

He looked down at his borrowed t-shirt and suit pants from last night. "I gotta go home and change clothes. What if we drive into town so I can change and then go for a run along the river? Maybe lunch afterwards?"

"That sounds good," she nodded. "Wanna invite Jay and Erin to join us?"

Kelly shrugged, "Sure. Have them meet us," he looked at the clock on the wall, estimating quickly how long it would take to get to his apartment, run 5 miles, shower and get to a restaurant, "about 12:30? Maybe the Riverwalk Café?"

"Perfect for a day like today. The weather is actually warming up. Ice 10 days ago, today in the low 60's." she said as she texted Jay. "After lunch we can head over to the hospital. Do you want to have dinner here tonight?"

"Definitely."

"Good. We can hit the farmer's market here in Lake Bluff later this afternoon and then come on home." He smiled at her reference to coming home when he realized that wherever she was, was home to him.

"Sounds like we have a plan," he said as he stood up to put his dishes away. She'd already cleaned up the others. She stood and refilled her coffee cup.

"Can we take the Austin?" he begged.

She laughed at his eagerness, "Sure. You can even drive." She went into the office, taking her coffee with her, and he watched as she dug through a drawer. "Here you go," she tossed the keys to him.

"I'm going to go change, and I'll be ready to go."

"I'll put away the stuff from last night."

She winked at him as she headed upstairs.

Ten minutes later, she was dressed in running capris and a wide armed tank over her sports bra, with a Chicago PD hoodie. Her shoes matched the fluorescent tank. A duffle bag was slung over her shoulders.

"You can't keep the t-shirt and hoodie, Severide."

"Oh come on."

She shook her head slowly, "Nope. They are my trophies. You'll have to get your own."

"I'll accept that challenge." He grinned as he was already imagining lifting a few pairs of panties.

"Mind out of the gutter, Sweetride. Go change." She motioned upstairs.

Two hours later, Kelly and Elizabeth were sprinting through the Saturday late morning walkers along the sidewalk in a race to Kelly's apartment. Elizabeth shrieked with laughter as Kelly grabbed her arm from behind, yanking her backwards so he could cross the building threshold first.

"Cheater!" she cried as the door closed behind her.

Kelly laughed loudly at the accusation. "No more than you starting on 2 instead of 3."

She punched his arm, before letting him lead her up the stairs to his apartment. Kelly let them both in and headed for the kitchen. "Water?"

"Yes please! Cold."

Elizabeth walked around the apartment checking out the art on the walls, the comfortable stylish furniture, and particularly enjoyed the framed photos that sat on the bookshelves, shelves that were mostly devoid of books.

"Not big readers?" She asked, referring to the few books that she could see.

"Not a lot of time."

She nodded and took the glass of water he handed her. Picking up a framed grainy photo, she smiled, "You?" A small dark haired boy dressed in what was likely his father's firefighting coat.

Kelly shrugged. "Cute. You always wanted to be a firefighter?"

"My dad was. His dad was. It's in my blood. I never wanted anything else."

"Your dad still working?"

"Nah, he retired. He lives up North with his latest wife and two boys. He's coming down next week for the Firefighter's Annual party. You can meet him then. I'd been meaning to ask… you wanna go with me?"

"What day next week?" she mentally ticked through her busy schedule.

"Saturday night. It's a scholarship fundraiser. A pretty big deal for us. Everyone gets dressed up, drinks, eats, parties."

"Sure, I'm off the whole weekend. What do I wear? Formal?"

"Well, I won't be wearing a tux, but the suit I wore last night probably.

"Sounds fun," she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now, I need a shower."

"Come on, I'll show you." He grabbed her duffel bag and led the way up the stairs to his bedroom. He tossed it on the roughly made bed and opened the door, flipping on the light revealing a surprisingly clean bathroom.

He hadn't planned on having her over, but she was here now and Kelly was glad he'd cleaned up his room and bathroom. "Make yourself at home," he said handing her a clean and folded towel. "There's shampoo, soap, whatever in there," motioning to the shower. "It's not what you use, but it will get you clean."

"Thanks Sweetride. I'll just be a few minutes."

"Take your time," he kissed her temple and then closed the door behind him.

True to her word, she emerged from the shower dressed in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, barefoot, her long hair twisted up into a towel. Kelly took a sharp breath as she walked by him towards the dresser. "How do you come out of my shower and still smell like you?" He nuzzled her damp neck.

"What is it that I smell like?" she asked with a smile, leaning back to kiss his salty neck.

"Flowers, the kind that bloom in the night. Sweet, mysterious. But then there is something else, something darker, hidden and dangerous, like you."

"That's pretty romantic, Sweetride." She turned into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I've been thinking about the scent of you for months now. Every time I leave you now I smell you until I take a shower. I don't even want to so I don't wash off your scent." His hands rested on her hips, tugging her close to him, his erection pressing against her stomach.

"Well pretty boy, you definitely need one now." She nipped at his ear and took his shoulders, turning him towards the shower. "Get a move on, Sweetride."

Kelly groaned as he walked towards the bathroom. He needed a very cold shower. Seemed like he was always in need of a cold one these days.

Half hour later they were strolling towards the River Café, hand in hand. Jay and Erin were already seated, beers in hand, menus on the table. Jay stood as Elizabeth and Severide approached the table. Kelly shook his outstretched hand and then Jay embraced Elizabeth. Erin gave Kelly a quick hug and sat back down. "This was a great idea guys," she said in her throaty voice.

Kelly held out Elizabeth's chair and pushed it in after she sat down. He returned the smile she gave him, and took a seat beside her. "God it is beautiful today," he grinned as he took Elizabeth's hand and kissed it.

Jay looked over at Erin and rolled his eyes and she smirked. Things were a little weird at first, but soon the two couples were into a groove and laughing. Each of them shared funny stories about their days and beer and food flowed.

The waitress brought the check and left it with Severide, who had raised his hand for it. Elizabeth watched Kelly open the check and look at it, a funny expression over his face, and then put his card into the black check wallet.

"What is it?" Elizabeth leaned over and whispered.

Kelly shook his head and passed the check over to her. Elizabeth knew the bill couldn't be that much, but she was fully prepared to pick up the tab if necessary. But what she saw wasn't a large bill, but a phone number and name.

She flipped the wallet closed, his credit card inside. "Seriously?"

Severide shrugged, and irritated, Elizabeth took the wallet back, handed Kelly back his card and slapped her black AmEx down.

Jay started laughing, "What? Severide can't afford it?"

"I don't want this chick having his name." Halstead and Erin both looked at her, eyebrows knitted. "She gave him her phone number and name."

Jay looked at him, open mouthed. "Happen often?"

Kelly shook his head, frustrated, knowing that this pissed Elizabeth off.

"Last night? Today? Really Kelly?"

"I don't go around asking for this! I didn't encourage this woman or the ones last night."

"I get that Kelly. Maybe you don't now, but what about later? Once you've had me and you're ready for something new. Seems like there will always be someone to fill in the gap."

"There is no gap, Elizabeth. No one else is you." Kelly kept his voice quiet, holding her hands and willing her to believe him. This was another make or break moment for their fledgling relationship.

Elizabeth handed the bill to their server, eyes cold and hostile. The woman had the grace to be embarrassed and flushed when she realized she had been found out.

"Think about it Liz. Guys look at you all the time. You don't see me freaking out every time."

"They are not looking at me all the time."

Jay and Severide both chimed in together, "Yes they are."

She frowned at them, "They aren't throwing themselves at me. They don't touch me, they don't give me their numbers right in front of you."

"Maybe because when I'm around they know I'd beat the shit out of them. Sort of like the threats you were handing out last night."

"Very funny. I don't want to walk around feeling like I have to defend my place at your side because women behave badly."

"Exactly. WOMEN behave badly, not me. And unless a guy touches you, I'm not going to do anything. I don't have to defend you, your honor, or my place at your side. I trust you. You have to trust me. I am not Simon," he said referring to her lover in Afghanistan, the man who broke her heart.

Without breaking eye contact with Kelly, Elizabeth took the check from their embarrassed server. She quickly tabulated the tip and left one, determined to take the higher road. At least the tramp had the grace to be embarrassed.

"You guys ready?" Jay stood up, ready to leave. The outing had been a lot of fun until Elizabeth had lost it. That had sort of put a damper on things. "Liz, can I talk to you?"

She frowned at him, and nodded, knowing she was about to get a talking to, as if she was a child. She let Jay pull her towards the river walk, sulking the whole way. "Liz, you gotta let this go. He hasn't done anything wrong. You are the woman behaving badly this time. Severide is right. He's not Simon. He doesn't deserve this."

"But…"

"There is no but here Elizabeth. You owe him an apology. For that matter, you owe Erin and me an apology. You are bigger than this. Don't let your demons ruin what could be a really good thing with you two."

"You believe that?" There was no one she trusted more than the man who stood before her.

"Yeah, I do. I haven't seen any reason to believe he isn't totally upfront with you. That he hasn't been totally honest." He took her hand and pulled her close to him. "I picked up the pieces before with Simon. I don't ever want to repeat that. I'm not crazy about you being with anyone. No one is ever going to be good enough for you. You know that. But this guy, don't blow this already. Give him a chance."

Elizabeth looked across the way where Kelly and Erin stood watching them. She looked back to Jay, her hands laying on his chest, fingers picking at the gray t-shirt he wore. "Ok. You're right. I am not being fair."

Jay nodded and kissed her forehead, releasing her so they could return to their respective partners. Elizabeth took Kelly's hand, and Jay's and smiled briefly at Erin as they stood in a close huddle. "I'm sorry. Erin, Jay… I'm sorry that I embarrassed you both with my twaddle. It was something private to Kelly and I and I shouldn't have this done this publicly. And Kelly," she turned to him and took his other hand in hers, "I'm really sorry about this. You are right. I need to trust you. You haven't given me any reason." Her hand rested on either side of his face, roughened with his unshaven beard. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve this."

"Maybe, maybe not," he pulled her into his arms. "But I'm in this for the long haul. I told you before I'm not going anywhere. I want to be, I can be, the man you need me to be to be. No running away. Either of us."

She nodded and stood on her tip toes to kiss him, hands clutching his t-shirt. "My demons. My firefighter to battle them with me," she whispered against his lips, tears in her eyes.

Elizabeth turned back to the small group. "Can I make this up to you? No arguments, I promise. Dinner? Tonight?"

"You already paid for lunch," Erin said. "Doesn't seem fair to take us to dinner too."

"I was thinking more like dinner at my house, movie, play some pool, whatever."

"Can we swim too?" Jay asked.

"Of course. You can do anything you want. I'll make margarita scallops."

Erin grinned, "Well then. Sounds like I'll be bringing my special margaritas to go with."

Jay looked at Severide, and they both smirked. Looked like it was another double date for tonight.

"7:00. Plan for a sleepover."

Erin raised her eyebrows, "Sleepover?"

"Yeah, we'll plan on staying the night," Jay agreed.

Kelly laughed. "I guess we'll see you guys around 7ish." Jay and Kelly shook hands and he gave Erin a quick hug while Elizabeth hugged Jay and whispered in his ear. He kissed her temple and then took Erin's hand and waved goodbye to the other couple.

"So I guess we are having company for dinner," Kelly stated.

"Is that ok? I should have asked shouldn't I have?" Elizabeth was nervous, feeling like walking on egg shells so she didn't start anything new.

"No. It's all good. Just think about when you are going on about all the girls hitting on me, think about what it's like to watch Jay hold and kiss you over and over. He kissed you more in the last couple of hours than I have."

"It's not like that. And the kisses aren't like these," she leaned up to his lips, claiming them for her own.

"Better not be," Kelly growled, returning her kiss.

"Nothing more than like I've seen you and Shay."

"Shay's gay. Jay's definitely not."

"He's my best friend," she smiled and tugged at his hand. "Are we still going to go to the hospital?" She completely expected him to say 'no', but was rewarded with a smile and a nod.

"Nothing has changed, Elizabeth. Let's do this."

She let him wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her against him. He led her towards the hospital. She wrapped her arm around his waist, tucking her hand into his jeans pocket. "Let's do this," she echoed.

Two hours later, Kelly was holding open the passenger door on the Austin Healey and helping Elizabeth into the car. He stuffed their duffle bags into the trunk, and climbed into the front seat.

"I need to stop by Molly's on our way home," Elizabeth said.

"They aren't open. What do you need?"

"I figured that Hermann or Dawson might be there early. I need to let them know about something," she said mysteriously.

"Ooohhkaay," he drawled slowly. "We'll go by, but I doubt there is anyone there."

"Thank you," she winked, holding his hand as it rested on the gear shift.

He pulled in front of Molly's to see Hermann stapling new signs out front of Molly's. The two got out of the car, and Hermann immediately started razzing Severide about the new wheels.

"Wow! Lieutenant's must do really well these days," Hermann stroked his hand over the silver metal.

"It's hers, Hermann. Elizabeth wanted to see you really quick." He emphasized 'really quick.' Kelly was ready to have some alone time with his girl, and he didn't want to spend any more time than he had to with Hermann and crew. He saw them plenty already.

She followed Hermann into the bar where Dawson and Otis were restocking supplies. They all greeted the couple, offering drinks, which they turned down.

"Thank you, but we can't stay. I just wanted to let you guys know that I got a hold of some tickets for the Blackhawks game on Thursday night. I think your shift has the day off?" She was still trying to understand how the shifts worked.

"Blackhawks tickets?" Otis gasped. "The playoffs? How did you ever…?"

"I know people. I have enough for the whole shift and some dates. We have the box. If people would be interested." Elizabeth stumbled.

Hermann looked at Severide, "Did you know about this?"

"News to me."

She looked at him, "I wasn't sure how to get the tickets out to people. Kelly could do it, or you guys. Either way. I just need someone to be responsible for making sure people who want to go have tickets. And some people can bring dates, if there are enough tickets."

She placed the tickets on the bar counter. Hermann and Otis looked at Severide who waved his hands, clearly begging off of any responsibility. Elizabeth hadn't thought Kelly would want to be involved but was glad to have that confirmed.

"So what does it mean that we have the box? What box?" Gabby asked.

"There will be food and drink, private room with a great view to watch the game."

Hermann and Otis' mouths dropped open. "Private box?"

"Yeah. Is that ok?"

"Hell yes! That is ok! That is great!" Otis could hardly contain himself, reaching out to grab Elizabeth in a hug, which Severide quickly got between them with a frown at Otis. Otis grimaced and stepped back, offering his hand instead. "Thank you! We'll let everyone know right away."

Kelly took Elizabeth's hand and motioned to the door. "We gotta go. More stops to make before we get home."

"You guys gonna come by tonight? Everyone would love to see you."

"Um, no. We've got plans already."

"Next time though, ok?" Elizabeth joined in.

Kelly pushed them through the door and opened the door for her. "Now where to, my lady."

"Fish market. Farmer's Market. Store. Home. In that order."

"Yes, m'am."

Elizabeth stretched her arms in front of her and opened her eyes to the TV screen showing the White Sox baseball game. "I fell asleep," she sighed, her head resting on Kelly's hard muscled thigh.

"Yeah, you did baby," his arm rested on the length of her body, his other holding a beer.

She sat up and took the beer, frowning at the warm brew. "It's warm. Yuck."

"I didn't want to wake you."

"That is so sweet. You'll drink warm beer for me," she grinned. She stood and picked up both beer bottles and headed to the kitchen.

Returning with an ice cold beer for him and a crystal glass of whiskey, water, and ice for her, she carefully straddled his seated thighs, facing him.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked. "Watch the game?"

"What game?" he laughed, taking a long draw off the long neck and running his hand along her back. Her short dress was hiked up high on her tanned thighs, and after leaning over to put his beer on the table, he began running his calloused rough thumb along the outer skin of her leg, dipping low under her knee caressing her soft skin.

"You wanna make out?" she wiggled suggestively.

"Make out? Seriously?" Kelly chuckled.

"Yeah, you know like high school… kissing, a little petting, no other goal in mind… Paradise by the Dashboard lights?"

"He's talking about home runs."

"Play your cards right, maybe you can get to second base, Lieutenant," she whispered against his neck, her tongue stretching out to follow her breath.

"Hmm," he groaned. "Another cold shower tonight."

"But fun in the meantime, right?"

"Definitely," he sighed as his lips brushed against hers, tasting the watered whiskey on her breath.

Their kiss was long and slow, mapping the smooth texture of their open mouths, tongues colliding and stroking without urgency, but with a palpable need. His hands slid under her dress lifting her ass against him, slowly grinding her down on his engorged cock, encouraging her to ride him through their clothes.

Her fingers traced the muscles of his thick arms, feeling the hardness that rested under his t-shirt, each muscle perfectly sculpted. As a doctor she could identify every defined muscle on his arms, shoulders, and clavicle. Her hands slid down his chest feeling his stiff nipples, her nails scraping across them, eliciting a groan. She felt the grooves along his impressive abs, carved as if from granite. She lifted the hem of his t-shirt, tugging it upwards and breaking their kiss just long enough to pull it almost over his head, but stopping, capturing his arms up and covering his eyes but leaving his mouth open and needy.

She teased his mouth, coming in for a kiss and pulling back, playing with him, until she finally released him with another slow deep kiss, tossing his shirt to the back of the couch. His hands slid up her silky dress, cupping her swollen breasts, filling his hands. His fingers tweaked her nipples through her lacy bra.

She groaned and arched into him, pressing against him. One hand dropped to the hem of her dress, lifting it slowly. "Let me…" he growled.

She shook her head, "Uh, unh. That's way past second base, L. T." she sighed as a finger slid along the elastic of her panties. She pushed her hands against his chest, breaking their kiss and putting some space between them.

"I just want to feel your skin, Elizabeth. It's so soft."

"You will. I want that too. But we have company arriving soon, and we agreed we would wait. If I'm sitting here nearly naked," she kissed him again, harder than before, "then we won't wait. Neither of us is known for our self-control."

"I think I should get a medal for mine right now."

She chuckled softly. "Your patience has been profound, and has lasted far longer than I would have thought possible."

"Liz?!" a male voice called out through the open front door. Elizabeth laughed, kissed Kelly one more time, and climbed away, straightening her dress as she rose. Severide groaned and banged his head against the back of the couch. Their company had arrived. Just in the nick of time.

"Yeah! Coming," she yelled, tossing Kelly his t-shirt. From the back of the couch, she leaned over his head resting there, and kissed him upside down, ruffling his hair before leaving him to get dressed again.

"Ah, margaritas are here!" she laughed as Erin started unloading the lime juice and tequila. Jay was already pulling the blender out from under the counter. Elizabeth went to the butler's pantry and grabbed four green margarita glasses and brought them to the counter.

"You ok with blended?" Erin asked, looking up at Elizabeth, taking in her 'just fucked' hair and raised an eyebrow. "Were we interrupting something?"

"Nah" Elizabeth answered, while Kelly said "Yes," at the same time. He stretched his t-shirt a little longer, hoping to hide his prodigious denim covered hard on.

Erin smirked at his obvious discomfort. "Sorry we didn't knock. Jay didn't seem to think it necessary."

"He never knocks."

"Never have any reason to. It's not like you ever have company." He paused, "Until now."

"You just like the idea of interrupting, Jay," she teased, pulling the guacamole she had made earlier out of the fridge and putting it on the bar along with chips.

Kelly grabbed another beer from the fridge and twisted the cap off, tossing it into the trash. "Can I help?"

"You any good with a knife?"

"I have very agile fingers, lover," he snarled into her hair as he grabbed her from behind.

She lightly elbowed him in the ribs, twisting out of his arms and dancing over to the cutting board and knives. She placed the tomatoes and cabbage on the board and motioned for him to get started.

Elizabeth pulled the marinating scallops from the fridge and lifted the heavy cast iron pan from below the stove. She flipped on the heat, planning to sear the scallops for their tacos.

Erin blended the margaritas with her secret ingredient, Midori, and lightly salted the rims of the glasses. She passed out the full drinks and watched everyone smiling and laughing over the rim of hers.

"Is this weird?" Erin asked suddenly.

Kelly and Elizabeth just looked at her surprised, Jay asked "What?"

"We've all slept together. Isn't that weird?"

Elizabeth laughed suddenly, snorting her drink up her nose, causing a brain freeze. "Kelly, Jay, when you guys had sex, was I not invited? I am disappointed."

Erin rolled her eyes, as they guys chuckled. "And Erin, I'm pretty sure if I had slept with you, I would have remembered it."

"It just seems, odd, to be friends with ex-lovers, that's all."

"Jay and I have been friends for decades."

"I know. But you two hardly act like your exes though. Half the time when you are together, it's hard to tell who is whose boyfriend. Like today at the River."

Jay and Elizabeth looked at each other and Jay shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you Erin. I love Elizabeth. I'm not in love with her."

"I look at it this way, Erin. Love is not something like pie, where after you cut it 8 ways, and eat it there is nothing left. It's more like pi, 3.14159 and on and on to infinity. We have an infinite capacity to love, in every way possible. And the more we use, and give it away, the more there is. I can love Jay as my best friend. I can love you as the woman he loves," Jay's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had not told Erin he loved her. Yet. "Whether he is apparently willing to admit it or not. I can love Kelly for the man that he is, and how he makes me feel."

Kelly pulled Elizabeth to him and kissed her slow and deep, "Thank you," his whispered.

"It doesn't bother you that Kelly and I have slept together?" Erin asked surprised. She had already seen the jealous tension that surrounded Elizabeth and Kelly.

"No. I envy your sexy rasp. Your oh-so-cute dimples. That you carry a gun like a bad ass. But jealous about having slept with Kelly? Nope. You are consumed with Jay now. You are not one of the women who behave badly."

"Glad to have escaped that title."

Elizabeth laughed, "I'm not jealous of these other women, despite what you may think you've seen Erin. I'm disgusted that they throw themselves in his path constantly. That they feel they have a right to touch what isn't theirs. But jealous? I have so much more to offer than any of them. If Kelly was to throw me over for one of them, it would be his loss and they can have him. He would not be worthy. But I don't think that will happen."

"Two steps forward," Kelly exclaimed. He was always telling her that it was two steps forward, one step back in their relationship.

She snapped at him with her jaws, and smiled. "Dinner is served."

"Smells good. Let's eat outside," Jay suggested, eager for a change of topic.

Each plate had a taco tray on it, and everyone assembled their tacos and Jay led the way to the back porch, overlooking the beach.

The conversation stayed light and careful as they watched the sun set off to the left of the house. The sun reflected off the still water like glass. After a couple of pitchers of margaritas, a solid buzz kept things casual and fun. They each privately thought things had gotten too deep, too fast tonight. No one wanted to interrupt the good times evening that lay in front of them.

The sun had set and plates were cleared. "What now?" Elizabeth asked. "Movie? Pool?"

"Jay says you have an awesome movie set up. What kind of movies do you have?"

"Well, you won't find any chick flicks. And no tear jerkers. But lots of action, adventure, some classics, film noir, old stuff."

"So let's go check it out," Erin stood and started clearing the table.

After all the dishes had been brought in, Elizabeth suggested that Erin and Jay go look at movies and pick a few to choose from, while she and Kelly cleaned up.

"So you really aren't bothered by Erin and me being together before?" Kelly asked curiously.

"Would you consider what you guys had 'being together'? Was it a relationship? Or something else?"

"It was a few times. Nothing serious."

"Then no, not really bothered. I see you with her, and I get no hits that there is anything else there. If I was going to worry about every woman you've been with, I'd have to worry about all of Chicago."

"I think that is overblown, Elizabeth," Kelly answered, a warning in his voice.

Elizabeth shrugged and stated, with finality. "I'm not worried."

He looked at her, taking in the clarity in her eyes, the strength in her shoulders, the pride she held dear. He nodded, agreeing with her. "Good."

"How about Sharknado?" Jay came in laughing.

"Seriously? Of all the thousand movies in there, you want to watch Sharknado?" Elizabeth grinned.

"Hey YOU own it."

"It's a classic. So bad it's great."

"So let's make it a drinking movie," Erin suggested.

"Like what? For every shark that appears, we take a shot? We'd be blotto in half an hour."

"No for every scientific absurdity, we take a drink. Not shots, just drinks. Margarita, beer, whatever."

"That's only somewhat less alcohol poisoning inducing. But ok. We're almost done here," she put the last of the plates in the dishwasher.

Kelly grabbed a couple of beers and what was left of the pitcher of margaritas and carried them into the TV room. Jay already had the movie loaded and paused at the beginning. Erin and Jay had turned one of the couches to face the TV screen and were laying on the sofa, with pillows and a couple of blankets. Elizabeth followed Kelly with an enormous bowl of popcorn and sat beside him on the sofa they had their make out session on earlier.

The sound system surrounded them and as the rain started on the movie, it sounded like it was inside the room with them. "Wow!" Erin exclaimed.

"Pretty great huh? When there is a party here, Liz has the theater chairs out and everyone can sit in here and watch."

"When do you have parties here?"

Elizabeth grabbed a couple of pieces of popcorn and fed them to Kelly, letting his tongue lick the salt off her fingers. "Usually just Christmas and Fourth of July. Christmas is mostly family and close friends. July 4th… it's a crazy party with boats on the lake and people camping everywhere."

"That sounds fun!"

"Maybe this year, you can come. Jay always does."

"We'll plan on it," he took Erin's hand and kissed it, communicating his intent.

The two couples drank and argued the merits of the various scientific absurdities, missing the worthless dialogue but loving the crazy action. The movie finally ended, prepping audiences for Sharknado 2, and all four of them were pretty drunk, and having a great time.

"Let's play some pool!" Jay suggested.

"Oh, Jay. I'm wiped out. I wanna go to bed," Elizabeth complained.

"Nonsense, it's only midnight. You can't crash this early. Come on, one game."

"What are the stakes?"

"Money?" Erin asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Not taking your money."

"Ah! You think you can beat me?"

"I'm pretty good," Elizabeth shrugged.

"Let's play strip pool," Jay suggested.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm completely serious." His eyes raked over Elizabeth and started laughing. "I'm thinking that you have all of three items of clothes on, five if you count your shoes. Erin has about the same. It's a win. We play guys against girls."

"Jay, you've seen me play. You know I can whoop your ass."

"I'm counting on Severide to even the odds."

Erin motioned for Elizabeth to join her over in the corner of the pool room, where they now stood. "I'm a really good player. Jay doesn't know that," Erin whispered in Elizabeth's ear.

Elizabeth sat back and assessed the young woman, and turned back to look at the two guys looking all cocky and hot, so sure they would win this.

"You better be Lindsay. I don't like to lose."

"Ok," Elizabeth stalked back to the guys, pulling her personal cue stick off the wall while Kelly racked the balls. "8 ball. For each ball the playing team gets in, the other team takes off a piece of clothing. Shoes are included. Blankets can be used for cover. A scratch gets one piece of clothing per person back."

The guys nodded and Erin smirked. She better be as good as she thinks she is. "We do a coin toss for who breaks."

"Heads," Kelly called.

Elizabeth went to the bar on the side of the room and pulled out a half dollar, setting it edge up on the counter and spinning it.

"Tails. It's our break." Elizabeth pointed her stick at Erin, indicating for her to take the break. Erin edged up to the short end of the table, setting the cue ball in place and striking it hard and quick, a deceptively strong stroke, spreading the balls across the table and having two solids go into pockets.

"I guess we are solids, and we'll take two pieces of clothing, boys." Elizabeth drawled. The guys were already without shoes and socks, which fortunately she and Erin still had on. Kelly smirked and pulled the hem of his shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the back of the room. Elizabeth licked her lips, taking in his exposed abs and hard chest. Jay chuckled and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, making a show of his stripping. Both men stood bare chested and proud, enjoying the ogling the girls were doing.

"Erin, your still up," Elizabeth refocused the younger woman.

Erin shook her head to clear it, and laid up another shot, banked against another, knocking two more solids into the net. "Damn," the men swore.

Jay slowly undid his belt and slipped it through the loops of his jeans, tossing it to the ground. Kelly chewed his lower lip and started to undo the button on the top of his jeans. Elizabeth gasped, "How about the St. Florian first?"

"What? You scared Liz?" Kelly growled.

She swallowed hard, and shrugged her head, indicating 'go for it' if that's what you want.

He laughed and pulled the medal from around his neck and laid it carefully on the bar beside the half dollar.

Erin took another shot but no balls went it this time. It was their turn. Jay and Kelly had a whispered, urgent conversation, and they decided Kelly was first up to take the shot.

Elizabeth sidled up to the table, standing close to Kelly, knowing that her nearness would affect his game. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Kelly…" he lifted he face away from the shot he was lining up and she reached down and kissed him, open mouth and hard.

He pulled away, licking his lips and took a deep breath. "You're cheating, Liz."

"Hey, I'm just trying to keep my clothes on, for a more private audience."

"Noted. Now step away, please," he begged.

She slipped backwards, away from the table, ignoring Jay's complaints about trying to sway the outcome.

Kelly put one stripe in the side pocket. Elizabeth groaned and leaned her cue stick up against the wall. Erin was giggling and pulled off her belt and tossed it into the beginning pile. Elizabeth reached up under her dress, wiggling to keep her dress down and still pull her bra off. She managed, only exposing a few flashes of panties. Her white lace bra joined the t-shirts and belts on the floor.

Severide couldn't take his eyes off of her while he tried to line up his next shot. Jay yelled at him, "Focus man."

Kelly scratched his head in frustration, but couldn't take his eyes off Elizabeth running her hands over her now freed breasts, stretching the silk material tight across her chest, so much that he could see her darkened nipples. "God, you're killing me Liz."

"You aren't a good candidate to die from lust, Sweetride."

"I think I just might be now."

"Your shot, baby. Take it," she suggested as she tweaked a hardened nipple through her clothing.

Kelly took a deep draw off his chilled beer and inhaled deeply, lining up his next shot. He hit the ball too close to the edge and scratched.

Elizabeth laughed and Erin giggled, both of them leaning in to retrieve their clothing. Elizabeth didn't want to deal with trying to get her bra back on, but she held onto it for use later.

"My shot, boys."

This time it was Jay's turn to groan. He knew they may very well have lost already and the game was just getting interesting.

Elizabeth approached the table like she owned it, which she did of course, but she'd been playing pool, or billiards, or snooker since she was old enough to lean over the table. She just simply didn't lose unless she wanted to. And she had to admit, it was so easy to wind him up.

Elizabeth made a bank shot, knocking a solid in one pocket and a second solid into a different pocket after bouncing off the original. Six solids in, one more to go and then to the eight ball. She decided she wanted this game to go on a bit longer, so she tossed the game, but left no shot for Jay.

She smirked, as Jay whined about "being hooked" by her.

"What does that mean?" Erin asked.

"She played and left no shot for me. She set it up that way."

Jay knocked the balls around, leaving the eight ball hanging on the pocket. A hard breath would knock it right in, before they were ready.

Elizabeth nodded to Erin, who had also seen the immediate danger and was assessing other options. Elizabeth could see her mind at work, pulling a strategy and disregarding it as she walked around the table. She hoped that she was as quick thinking when she was backing up Jay.

Erin sidled up to the table, placing her cue down and taking aim at a long shot. She shot and missed, knocking the balls around once again, but far enough away from the eight to still be safe.

Kelly was up and leaned in, shooting an easy stripe in and catching another on the cue rebound. Jay shouted and the two men high fived much to the women's chagrin.

Elizabeth tossed her bra back into the pile and slipped under her dress and slid her panties down her legs, stepping out of them slowly over her high heels. Erin laughed and just yanked off her t-shirt and tossed it into the pile. She knew she had a lot more clothing to spare than Elizabeth did.

Kelly walked over to Elizabeth, standing right up against her, feeling the heat from her body pouring off and surrounding him. He leaned in and breathed in her scent, slightly muskier than usual with her arousal.

Lightly running his hands along her body, feeling her nakedness under the silk dress, he growled in her ear, "Are you wet? I can smell you."

She turned her mouth against his throat, whispering back to him, "I'm going to go up in flames here Lieutenant. This is a very dangerous game you are playing. You really want me naked in front of Jay and Erin?" she wondered.

He choked against her, "No. That is only for me. Not to be shared. Not ever."

"Then you better play like you mean that, baby. Cause after this, there isn't anything left."

He kissed her longingly and slowly returned to the table. He lined up his shot and just before hitting the cue ball, his stick jammed into the green, causing him to miss the shot. Jay swore and hit his back. "Man, I can't believe you did that!"

"Hey, sorry bro. Shit happens."

"I think some undue influence has been used here."

"Oh, I assure you Halstead, the influence is completely due," Kelly grinned as his friend's frustration.

Elizabeth walked the table, assessing the different shots. Her solid was lined up between two stripes and it would be a tough shot. She lined it up, popping the cue ball up and over the stripes, knocking it into a side pocket.

The two men groaned and started pulling the top button of their jeans, slowly stripping them off leaving them standing there in their underwear, both quite impressively aroused. Kelly wore solid black boxer briefs while Jay had on plaid boxers.

Erin walked over to Jay and ran her hands over his bare chest, fingers slipping under the elastic of his boxers. Kelly just leaned back on the bar, dangling his beer in hand, showing his gifts to all. He watched the lust glow in Elizabeth's eyes and drank a long sip of his beer, in a futile attempt to cool down.

Elizabeth broke eye contact with Kelly and returned her attention to the pool table. "Eight in the side pocket," she called it, pointing to the pocket with her stick.

She lined up behind the cue ball and made a short strike on the white ball, jerking the black eight ball into the pocket but causing the white one to stop suddenly.

"And we win it," Elizabeth said quietly. Erin was all over Jay, clearly they were not interested in the game anymore. Kelly smiled and lifted his medal over his head once again, while joining her hands with his. She led him up the stairs, leaving their clothes behind.

~M rating follows~

"Liz, I need to take a shower. A cold one, or I'll never get to sleep tonight," he growled against her neck as he held her against him.

"This is a problem, huh? You shower, but can I watch?" She had a small, shy smile.

"You want to watch me take a shower?" he asked, not following.

"No. What I want to do is to have you slam me up against the wall and fuck me silly. But what I will do is watch. And you can watch me."

Kelly gasped, all the air leaving his lungs in a rush. "Ok," he squeaked.

He turned the water on hot, and stripped naked, pulling his briefs over his engorged cock, precum leaking copiously. He was already so close, this was going to go fast.

Elizabeth sat on the marble vanity counter, leaning back, stroking her inner thigh, watching him soap himself.

He took his cock in his hand and slowly moved up and down his soap slickened rod, watching her watch him. "Touch yourself, Elizabeth."

She lifted her dress slightly, finger easing towards her pussy. "Show me how wet you are. Slide you finger around like it was my tongue. Show me what you want me to do to you."

Her head fell back as her as her finger slid along her wet slit. Her folds were bare and even from the shower he could see the glistening wetness against the pink skin. "Spread your legs for me. Lift your skirt up higher. Do it, Elizabeth." She couldn't ignore the trickle of arousal that went down her spine at his commands.

She shifted her dress up against her waist and spread her legs as he had ordered. "Wider!"

Elizabeth lifted her heels to the counter top and spread herself wider, exposing all of her to his view. She couldn't take her eyes off his, only to tear herself away to watch him stroke himself harder and faster.

Her fingers pushed inside her channel, pulsing at the same pace as his stroke in the shower. Her thumb teased and flicked her clit and she licked her lips, imagining him inside her. She added a third finger, fucking herself hard, just as she imagined he would, just as she wanted him to so badly.

Kelly groaned as she added the third finger. "Are you close, Liz? I want you to come with me, baby."

"Yes," she cried out as her release poured over her, surprising her with its power and suddenness. Her fingers moved faster and faster, trying to extend her orgasm. Kelly yelled for her to watch him, jerking her attention to him as he started to spurt against the shower glass. The faster his hands moved, the faster her fingers did the same, bringing a second wave over her, leaving her gasping for air.

She fell back against the huge mirror that spanned the wall, exhausted and limp. Kelly cleaned up the glass and turned the water off, carefully toweling off. Elizabeth raised her head up, starting to head to the sink. "Stop."

She turned back towards him. He stalked towards her, towel loosely wrapped low around his waist. "I want to taste you." He lifted her fingers to his lips and licked, then sucking one finger into his mouth, cleaning it, then the next and the next until she was breathless.

"That was the hottest sex I never had, Kelly Severide."

He chuckled, still holding her fingers to his lips. "I think to call that non-sex is to be a little disingenuous don't you think?"

"Big word, Lieutenant," she sighed as she brought her free hand to his chest, distracted once again by his beauty.

"Hey, I'm not just a pretty face."

She laughed, "True enough. Let's go to sleep. I'm exhausted."

"Think you can sleep tonight?"

"Like the dead."

"I told you we would get over your insomnia."

"It might kill me, but wow! What a way to go, Sweetride."

A/N: This chapter took FOREVER to write and I hope you found it worth the wait. More drama coming up. Reviews feed the muse. Leave one! Please!


	13. Chapter 13

Lt. Sweetride

Protect Me

_Say that it's a dream_

_Tell me I am not involved,_

_Take my name up off the wall_

_And I won't scream_

_Cuz tonight this is our world_

_Forget the war and what it's for_

_Just shut the door_

_and lose the key_

_If you wanna die_

_From all the lies_

_Then say goodbye_

_Come on, let's go!_

_For a little ride!_

_We'd love to help you lose your mind!_

Dangerous Life, Ima Robot

* * *

_Her skin was clammy, cold with sweat even in the blistering heat. Al-Shaboub was not going to live. Even with all her skills, the motivation of her life hanging in the balance, the kid would die. The smell of death already pervaded her nose, the sweet rot of gangrene from his bowels hung in the air. Maybe, maybe if they had kidnapped her hours earlier than they had she could have done more, at least eased his pain. A gut shot like that… under these conditions… he never stood a chance, not that they understood that._

_It had been days now. How long? It was so dark. She hadn't known it could be so dark. So quiet. She swore she could hear the scratching of the beetles across the hardened sand. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. If she ever got out of this, she would never be in darkness again. She might sleep with the lights on forever._

_Her shivering continued, probably a fever. One of the beatings broken something inside, one of the cuts on her body infected. She couldn't be sure. With any luck she'd die of infection long before they tortured her worse._

_The voices came from above, angry voices shouting in Pashto. Al-Shaboub had finally died. Now it was her turn. Above her head, the scrape of the metal lid let her know her her cage, earthen pit really, was being opened. No light came in, it was still dark outside. Big hands reached in and grabbed her by her hair yanking her upwards, dragging her full weight up through the opening. She held her mouth closed, stifling her screams._

"NOOOO!" she cried out, sitting up in bed, skin clammy, the roots of her hair feeling yanked at, breathing harsh in the pre-dawn hours of the fist pounded the button beside her bed, flooding her room with light as she blinked letting her eyes adjust. Elizabeth Talbot crushed her pillow to her face sobbing loudly into it, her dogs snuggling up close to her for comfort. Her first nightmare in over a year and a sense of foreboding stole over her disquieted mind.

* * *

Kelly stalked down the hospital hallway towards his prey. She leaned against the counter, leaning her head in hand, facing away from him completing paperwork. It had been four days since he'd seen her, four of the longest days he thought he might have ever had to endure. Waking up with her on Sunday was perfect, but then his schedule and hers had been conspiring against them. At this point he couldn't take another moment. He'd dragged the squad out, ostensibly to get gas and groceries, but mostly so he could see her.

"Hey doc," he whispered against her neck, pinning her to the counter with his much larger body. He felt her immediately relax against him, dropping her head to his shoulder, her mouth tilted upwards.

"Hey you," she sighed. "I've missed you."

"Me too. Come away with me for a few minutes. I just need you. A few minutes, please?"

She turned her body into his, hands pressed against his blue t-shirt, fingers running up and down the yellow suspenders he wore with his work pants. "Yeah, I'd like that too." Elizabeth turned back to one of the nurses at the station. "I'm taking a break now."

"Sure Dr. Talbot."

Kelly let Elizabeth pull him into a private room down the hall. As soon as the door closed, he pinned her against the door, hands on either side of her face and just looked into her eyes. Her eyes were tired, strained. "What's going on, Liz? You look so tired, are you not sleeping? What's happened?"

"Kelly," she whispered, dropping her head to his chest and rocking it back and forth slowly. "Last night, it was bad."

"What was bad?"

"The nightmare. It's been a while since I had one, like a year or so. Having one leaves me exhausted. Makes me feel like something bad is going to happen, when I know that is crazy."

"I should have been there. What can I do?"

"You were on shift, baby. It's not like I was expecting this. Insomnia is one thing, I'd rather not sleep at all than have to deal with these." Her arms went around his neck, pulling him to her. "Kiss me. Make me forget."

He smiled slightly and leaned in "If that is what the doctor orders."

"Definitely, doctor's orders." His lips brushed against hers softly, teasing entry. Elizabeth pulled his head closer to hers forcing a harder kiss, opening to him. Her kiss was desperate, demanding, and he responded in kind, big hands reaching down and lifting her ass so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

She pulled his t-shirt from his pants sliding her hands underneath, craving the skin to skin contact. "Make me feel alive Kelly. Protect me from my demons."

He pulled his face back from her, one hand pressing her against his cock, another under her blue scrubs tweaking a stiffened nipple through her lace bra, his fingers stilled. "Look at me Elizabeth. Open your eyes and look at me."

She dropped her head against the wall behind her head and looked into his eyes. He saw lust, desire, pain and even anguish in her eyes. "I would stand between you and hell Elizabeth. Protect you with my last breath. I want nothing more right at this moment than to wash away the pain and fear I see in your eyes right now. I will always be here."

"Oh Kelly," she ran her hand along his two days growth of beard, "you don't know what you are saying."

"I know what I'm saying, I don't know who I'm protecting you from, but I know exactly what I'm saying."

"Dr. Talbot, paging Dr. Talbot."

"Damnit," They said at the same time.

Her legs slid slowly down his body as he hurriedly starting tucking his shirt back in. She straightened her clothes and finger combed his hair down where she'd messed it up.

Banging on the door startled them both. "Liz, Kelly, come on, it's important." Jay's voice came through the bubbled glass window built into the door.

"If he's yanking our chain, I'll kill him," Kelly growled.

Elizabeth just shook her head, frowning.

"Jay," she started as she opened the door and then stopped short when she saw the two black suited men standing a few feet away, causing Kelly to run into her as he tried to exit the room. Blood drained from her face and her breath left her as panic began to take its place in her body. She felt Kelly's arms go around her, pulling her slightly behind him, putting himself between her and the well dressed strangers.

"Sorry Liz. I ran into Frick and Frack. They thought I should stick around."

"My father?" She whispered.

The younger of the men finally moved his glare from Kelly long enough to move toward Elizabeth. "No Elizabeth. You're father is fine." He walked towards her, his arm extended, Jay and Kelly immediately stepping in front of her blocking him from getting to her.

Elizabeth ignored the testosterone pissing match in front of her, and looked at Jay. "Raptor?"

Jay nodded slowly.

The older of the black suited men finally spoke up after looking around and seeing the attention they were drawing, "Think we can take this somewhere more private, Doc?" he said with a slight twang.

Elizabeth sighed and turned around into Kelly's unmoving body, her hands bracing against his chest and pushing slightly. She nodded her head back into the room where Kelly and she had just left under much better circumstances.

"And this is need to know only, Elizabeth. Your, um, friend, will have to leave."

"Trevor, get over yourself and whatever your issue is. Lt. Severide is more likely to be around if something is going to happen than anyone else. He has every right to know what is going on." She took Kelly's arm and wrapped it around her waist, "Besides, I want him here."

Kelly smirked at Trevor as he turned and followed Elizabeth into the dark private room. He leaned against the wall and pulled her to him, cradling her against his chest, their legs tangled together. The rest of the men crowded into the room.

Elizabeth sighed and introduced the two men. "Kelly, Daniel St. James and Trevor Claire. Lt. Kelly Severide, CPD. Daniel and Trevor are part of my dad's Secret Service detail, specifically assigned to me."

Kelly's brow creased, "Why do you need a Secret Service detail?"

"I'll explain the details another time, but if they're here, something's happened."

Daniel stepped forward and shook Kelly's hand while Trevor stayed where he was, leaning against the opposite wall. "Good to meet you son. Good to know she'll have someone like you around if things get hairy." Daniel stepped back and turned to Elizabeth. "Chatters gone up. We aren't quite ready to declare Raptor a go yet, but you need to increase your vigilance."

"What does that mean?" Kelly asked only to be interupted by the walkie-talkie radio going off at the same time. "Squad 3, Truck 81, Ambulance 61, multiple injury accident. Water rescue."

"Damn. Baby, I gotta…" Kelly pushed them off the wall and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I know. Be safe."

"Later?"

"Yeah, I'll text you. If you're on now, I'm liable to be on really late."

"See you then." Kelly bussed her on the cheek once again and ran out the door, leaving her cold and bereft of his touch, his warmth.

Trevor slammed the door in Kelly's wake, "Can we get back to business?"

Elizabeth frowned and pursed her lips. "You have 15 minutes before I'm getting called up. Make it count."

"Ok. Chatter is going up. Your name coming up, or being referenced as 'The Doc'. There doesn't seem to be a plan and there isn't anything specific to Chicago, but we wanted you to be aware. We are listening, paying attention. Right now we are at a Code Orange. As soon as we here your name linked with anything specific, we'll elevate to Red."

"By that time, it may be too late," Jay complained. "She needs protection now. And why don't they just let this drop? It's been years."

"It was his son. The man has a very long memory and apparently holds a hell of a grudge."

Elizabeth shivered in the sterile room, bad memories clouding the edges of sanity. She already knew she wouldn't be taken again, at least not alive. This time she had a plan. "Your fifteen minutes are up, guys. I gotta get prepped for work. It's going to be a long night."

"Liz, you need to start carrying," Trevor stated, referring to carrying a gun.

"I'm always armed in some way. And the tracker? It's working?"

"We checked it on the way over here. You glow like the North Star. We can find you anywhere in the world."

"They won't get me out of the city. I won't let them. I won't go through that again."

Jay came and stood right in front of her, his hands on either side of her face. "You will stay alive, Elizabeth. I will find you. Kelly will find you. You have to stay alive."

Her eyes filled with unwanted and unshed tears. Elizabeth shook her head hard, brushing a loose tear from her face harshly, and pulling away from him. "I'm done here," she choked, squaring her shoulders and leaving the room, and the doom they brought with them behind her.

* * *

A/N: I know it's been awhile. Mea Culpa. Another one on its way. Enjoy.


	14. Chapter 14

Lt. Sweetride

Part of Me

_What a diff'rence a day made_  
_Twenty-four little hours_  
_Brought the sun and the flowers_  
_Where there used to be rain_

_My yesterday was blue, dear_  
_Today I'm part of you, dear_  
_My lonely nights are through, dear_  
_(Since you said you were mine)_

_What a diff'rence a day makes_  
_There's a rainbow before me_  
_Skies above can't be stormy_  
_Since that moment of bliss_  
_That thrilling kiss_

_It's heaven when you find romance on your menu_  
_What a diff'rence a day made_  
_And the difference is you._

What a Difference a Day Makes, Lyrics by Stanley Adams

* * *

Elizabeth shut the hot water off for the second time in the last two hours, sliding the shower door open and pulling the fluffed oversized white towel off the rack. She'd showered before she left the hospital after surgery, so many traumas tonight after the massive pile up Kelly had been called away to earlier. But while the hospital showers left her feeling clinically sterile, that was just the problem… sterile, cold, medicinal. It took another hot shower with her own soaps and shampoos, followed with lotions to get the smell of damage, of illness and injury out of her nose and off her body.

Kelly lay in her bed sleeping. He hadn't moved when she'd walked through the bedroom to the bath. He must be exhausted after what had to be a rough shift. The dogs lazily lifted their heads and then settled back down beside their new pillow. They seemed to have no trouble at all adapting to a man in their bed. A first for everyone. She now stood in the dark, combing out her tangled locks watching the man who had quickly become the most important person in the world to her. How had this happened? When had it happened? She'd spent months avoiding just this fate and now boom, here they were.

His test results were downstairs on the kitchen counter in a sealed envelope. She'd already opened hers and left it open beside his. All clear for her part. Even if it turned out he wasn't, she didn't think she'd care at this point. They'd just deal with whatever came up. Did that mean she loved him? Already? It was too soon surely. Elizabeth tugged on a particularly difficult tangle and shook her head in frustration.

"Come to bed, Elizabeth," Kelly's sleepy voice ground through the darkness.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't. I can feel you staring," he tossed the covers on her side of the bed back. "Come to bed. Sleep. It's been a hell of a shift."

She sighed in agreement and climbed in beside him, her hockey jersey leaving her legs bare and cold. His arms wrapped around her and dragged her against him, wrapping his legs around hers, enveloping her in his warmth. "Go to sleep baby. I'll protect you. No nightmares tonight. Just sleep."

* * *

The smell of coffee and frying bacon filled her room and she was confused. What time was it? Looking around the room it was clearly way past dawn. When was the last time she'd slept so late? Or so well? She couldn't recall any dreams and certainly no nightmares.

The door opened and Rush and Roulette ran in, leaping on the bed, followed closely by a bare chested Kelly carrying a tray of food, carafe of coffee and some cut fruit.

"You made me breakfast in bed?"

"Made us breakfast in bed." Kelly beamed.

"No one has ever made me breakfast in bed before." She shoved her hair out of her face and sat back, using the pillows to prop herself up.

"Really? You are a woman that should be served breakfast in bed with every opportunity."

"I don't sleep well enough for that particular treat," she sighed as she took the cup of coffee from him.

"Seemed to have done pretty well last night. It's 10 now." He seemed enormously proud of himself.

"10? In the morning? Wow."

"No nightmares I take it?

She shook her head. "You would have known if I'd had a nightmare. Maybe I should have been having these sleepovers more often."

"Hey! You think it's the sleepover or the man?"

She took in the relaxed 6ft plus of man lying horizontally across her bed, putting raspberry jam on a croissant for her; shirtless, with only well worn jeans and a couple days worth of stubble covering him. Even his feet were bare. Damn. He had sexy feet.

She took a small bite of the croissant, smearing the jam along her lips slightly, her gaze licking his body from head to toe and back again slowly even as her lips licked the jam off her top button of his jeans was unbuttoned and she knew he had nothing on underneath.

"At the risk of feeding the man's ego too much, I think it's definitely the man. And you laying there like that…" she paused to move the tray to the floor, much to the dogs' delight. "You look good enough to eat, breakfast not withstanding."

Elizabeth crawled to him and climbed on top of him, straddling his half naked body with her own covered only in a jersey. Kelly's hands went to her thighs as he pushed the jersey up, "Hockey, huh? Another one and done's? Do I need to be jealous of one of the Blackhawks players? Wondering if one of them has been with you?"

"First of all, you have nothing to be jealous of. I'm with you in so many more ways that any one and done could ever have me. Second, the jersey is a gift from the team as a supporter. Not because I slept with any, all, or even one of them. We *both* gotta let go of our worries about past lovers. You've told me it's not nearly as many as I want to believe it is. The same goes here. You are the only man who has ever spent the night here, in my bed, ever. Sleepovers are for other places, not mine. So think on that before your jealousy gets the better of you."

Kelly nodded, his hands cupping her bottom. "I saw our tests downstairs. You already opened yours."

"Yep, all clear. What about yours?"

"I haven't opened them. Elizabeth," he paused, "what if…?"

"Hey, let's not borrow that trouble. Whatever comes, we'll deal with it together, Kelly."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she stated definitively, leaning forward, her hands on either side of his face, her hair flowing around them like a silk shroud. "It's just us, Kelly. You and me. Together."

His big hands cupped her bottom and cradling her close to him, slowly rolling her under him. "You amaze me every single day, Elizabeth."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her mouth. "Show me," she whispered.

His lips brushed her, "Soon," he breathed before he pushed away from her and got up from the bed.

"Damn it Kelly! You're a fucking tease," Elizabeth growled as she sat up, pouting.

"Well, _that _is something I've never been accused of before," Kelly laughed as he danced out of the way of the pillow thrown at him. "I'm going to clean up breakfast and then we'll look over my tests, then we'll see if you still think I'm a tease."

"Maybe I'm not interested anymore. Maybe the moment has passed."

Kelly leaned over Elizabeth and tilted her chin up slightly. "I'll consider it a personal challenge to make you very interested again." He bussed the tip of her nose and laughed when she swatted him away.

Fine. He wanted to play games. She could play too. He wasn't leaving her bedroom again without having made love to her. Finally.

In her closet, she pulled out drawer after drawer running her fingers over her lingerie selection. Nothing too much evening. Something she could definitely have picked out for the day to wear. _Strategically_ picked out to wear that day. A simple bra and panty set, with a loose blouse to cover it might be about right. Elizabeth piled her long hair up on her head, making a loose, sexy up do with thin tendrils hanging down around her neck. Perfume on each touchpoint, a spread of mascara and a blush of lipstick and she was ready to get dressed.

She'd chosen a fire engine red bra and panty set she'd bought long before she started seeing Kelly, but with him in mind. She remembered how frustrated she'd been with herself at even giving into the absurd fantasy of buying lingerie for a man she had no intention of ever letting see it. Now, she was glad she'd given into that apparently not so absurd fantasy.

Kelly was on the stairs coming back up as Elizabeth grabbed a black silk long sleeved blouse and slipped her arms into the sleeves, struggling slightly with the straps on her much too high red stilettos. Leaning against the door frame of her bathroom, she tried to affect a nonchalant attitude as he walked in holding his sealed envelope.

Kelly froze in the middle of her bedroom and stared while she stared back. She watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed and licked his lips. Without a word or taking his eyes off of her, he tore at the envelope, pulling at the paper inside by touch alone, mangling both the envelope and the test results. Having mercy, she pushed away from the door frame and walked slowly towards him, her eyes never leaving his either. They were caught in each other's gaze. Without touching him, she took the envelope from him and tugged the two sheets of paper inside into her hand, letting the torn envelope drift to the ground. She handed the results to him and he waived them off.

"You read them."

She licked her lips and broke their eye contact for the first time since he'd walked into her room. Glancing at the paper, she quickly assessed the results. "All clear," she croaked, and cleared her throat and spoke again, "all clear."

She felt rather than saw the relief drop from his body as without another word, Kelly grabbed her to him, one hand behind her head tilting her face to him. "How did I ever get so lucky?"

Elizabeth smirked slightly, "Good karma baby. Now what are you going to do with all your good fortune?"

"Do you trust me?" Kelly looked into her eyes, willing her to say yes, but she could see the fear that maybe she wouldn't.

"Absolutely."

"That I'm not going to cheat? That I'm not the player you think I was?"

She paused. He was asking for more specifics now, pushing on her hot buttons. Could she honestly say yes? Elizabeth looked into his eyes and saw the vulnerability in the deep blue depths, awash with tears of emotion. She could do nothing _but_ believe him.

"Yes!" She sighed into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his.

"God Elizabeth," Kelly's mouth collided with hers, taking her, overriding her, consuming her. Tongues lashed, lips crushed against the other. Desire that built layer upon layer over the months, with only the very slightest venting of steam finally exploded between them.

Kelly tugged on her blouse and the buttons popped off, the ripping of the sheer silk a sudden background to their mutual panting. He pulled back for a moment, surprised the material had given way in their passion.

Dropping his head to her untended breast, he suckled through the red lace raising her hardened nipple to a diamond tip. He scooped her generous breasts out of the lace cups, peeling the material down leaving her breasts exposed. Falling to his knees as if in prayer before her, he suckled one breast pulling hard on the nipple while his fingers tugged on the other.

Elizabeth cried out, arching against him bracing herself on his shoulders. Kelly moved to the other breast and lightly bit and sucked harder in response to her holding his head tighter against her chest.

She couldn't remember the last time a man had made her feel so connected, so eager, so desired. Kelly's tongue traced along her ribs, brushing open mouthed kisses down her abdomen. His tongue speared her belly button sending a sharp sting straight to her grasping, wet pussy. She thought her knees would give out as his wicked tongue traveled further, and sensing her weakness, Kelly lent her his strength by wrapping his arms through her legs and back around to her hips, spreading her open and holding her upright at the same time.

"I hope you aren't fond of these," he growled against her thigh as his thumbs pressed through the thin fabric at each hip, shredding her panties.

"God, Kelly…" she groaned. She was on fire. His tongue was everywhere, thrusting, licking, sucking. She exploded around him but he kept going, pushing her back onto the bed, spreading her legs even further apart.

"Kelly" her head rocked back and forth, "I can't, no more."

"You can, Elizabeth. You will," he demanded, sucking her clit again as he slid three fingers inside her.

She screamed as she came again, her pussy flooding his open mouth, her body trembling with spasms. Kelly slid up her body until they were face to face again, kissing her gently, softly licking the tears she had shed.

"You okay?" he asked, so quiet she could barely hear him over the racing of her heart.

Elizabeth smiled and opened her eyes. "I'm better than ok, Kelly. Much better than ok." She stretched her arms across his bare chest and nuzzled his chin. "Now, I think it's your turn."

Kelly shook his head. "If you touch me I'll go off like a firecracker. I'm too close."

"Well, then let's relieve some of your tension and then it will be your turn later."

"I'm serious Elizabeth. It's going to be quick."

She laughed. "I've already come twice. I think I could come again just kissing you. Quick I can do." She pushed him onto his back and slid on top of him straddling him. Her small fingers made quick work of his jeans and as she pulled his zipper down he sprang free. She leaned over and ran her tongue from root to tip along his steel hard penis, smiling as it twitched and Kelly growled in response.

His pants soon off, she grasp his girth and slid down onto him, both of them groaning as he entered her heat. She was hot and wet and he slipped into her tight channel with some work. She took a moment to adjust to his size and then started to ride him. Elizabeth sped up and then slowed down, dragging out the delicious torture for both of them.

"Elizabeth, I can't…I need…" Kelly groaned against her neck before rolling her under him and taking control. He picked up the pace and as he got closer, pounded into her harder and faster.

"Come with me, baby."

"I'm right there, Kelly, just a few.. Oh yes!" she cried out and tightened around him, squeezing him forcing him to come along with her, milking him dry.

"Elizabeth?" Kelly sighed.

"Hmmm?"

"You're mine now."

"Yes, yours, Kelly. Only yours."

* * *

A/N: Not my best sex scene, but I wanted to get something up while I'm writing. I've edited all the previous chapters, fixing errors in continuity, grammar, etc. More to come.


	15. Chapter 15

**Lt. Sweetride**

**Shelter Me**

_When your dreams all fail_  
_And the ones we hail_  
_Are the worst of all_  
_And the bloods run stale_

_I wanna hide the truth_  
_I wanna shelter you_  
_But with the beast inside_  
_There's nowhere we can hide_

_When you feel my heat_  
_Look into my eyes_  
_Its where my demons hide_  
_Its where my demons hide_  
_Don't get too close_  
_Its dark inside_  
_Its where my demons hide_

_Demons_, Imagine Dragons

* * *

They lay together in the oversized bed, tangled in sweat-cooling sheets, sated and sleepy. Kelly's callused finger traced the almost invisible scars that criss crossed Elizabeth's back, her hair pulled to the side.

"What happened here? Raptor?"

Lying on her stomach, her head resting on her folded arms, she nodded silently.

"Will you tell me?"

Her eyes met his, searching, waiting for something. The silence stretched between them and she wanted nothing more than to hide her face in her hair and never speak of it, but he deserved more than that. And his eyes finally told her what she needed to know. She swallowed hard, choking down the lump in her throat and started.

"I was at the women and children's clinic in Kabul. We went every third day or so to see the women, and whenever possible the children, especially the girls. The women there suffer greatly. If they are unfortunate enough to marry a terrible man, they are beaten, raped, burned, whatever he chose to do to her and the burkas hid the crime. The girls had almost no medical care and so we were constantly treating injuries and illnesses, even doing minor surgeries. It was really rewarding, even if it was really sad. We were often harassed by the Taliban but it was never anything serious, and we were always well protected."

Kelly's finger continued to slowly trace the lines on her back as she spoke and she closed her eyes, remembering each lash of the whip, every scream torn from her throat. She shivered and rolled onto her side, clutching the sheet to her chest, to stop the onslaught of images that cascaded through her 's hand ran along her arm until he linked his fingers with hers. She squeezed his fingers and took a deep breath before continuing.

"But this day, the Taliban came meaning business. I was giving an injection to a young girl, maybe twelve, when the first shots rang out. The marines returned fire, but I learned later they were overwhelmed and they all ended up dead. About six Taliban came into the clinic, killing the two armed guards we had inside. They rounded up myself, the other doctor, and the nurse we had with us and pulled out a picture of me. They were looking for me, screaming my name in our faces. I remember his spit hitting my face as he screamed my name at me." His thumb brushed away tears that tracked down her cheek.

"I'm here. You're here, Elizabeth. It's a memory," he soothed.

"They were young, probably newly minted soldiers. As terrified as we were. They pulled me away from my team and put a black sack over my head, dragging me out of the clinic, half carrying me as I stumbled in the sand, unable to see anything. They tossed me into the back of their truck and tore off. I thought 'this is it. I've been kidnapped. They know who I am and their going to hold me for ransom, kill me for sure.'"

"The farther away from town and the base we got, the more relaxed they got. They started laughing and joking with each other. One of them started kicking me, not enough to hurt me really, but more like they were trying to frighten me. They didn't know that I could understand what they were saying. The leader of their little group yelled at the kid who had kicked me telling him that I couldn't be damaged. They needed me to be unharmed so that I could save the son of their warlord, Haswari. We drove for hours, at least it seemed like hours." She paused thinking back, "I'm not sure that even today I know how far away I'd been taken." She remembered the grit in her teeth, the smell of sweat of the men mixed with gun oil, the feel of the butt of their rifles smacking against her ribs.

"When we got there, they took the bag off my head, I remember blinking at the brightness. They dragged me into a small tent. God, Kelly, it stank. The boy, Al-Shaboub, had been shot in the stomach. The wound had already started to become gangrenous and it was putrid. I knew immediately I wouldn't be able to save him. Even if we were in a real hospital with the best of equipment, there would be nothing I could do but make him comfortable. But the father was desperate. He was a huge man, very strong, power came off of him in waves. Even if I hadn't recognized him from the 'most wanted' photos, I would have known he was in charge. Men like him, they are fortunately rare, but are terrifying. He was completely without a soul. I don't know if you've ever met anyone that is a true psychopath, but he, he was absolutely one. Everyone in the room was terrified of him. No one looked him in the eyes. Everyone jumped when he spoke. The weird thing was he always spoke in almost a whisper, never yelled, and yet I think that was the most terrifying thing of all."

"Haswari spoke to me in very cultured English, his voice was as cold and dead as his eyes. He told me that he knew who I was, that he knew I was a miracle surgeon, that he knew I could stand between his son and death and win. And then he shrugged, and continued. If I did not, he would torture me and no one would stand between me and a very painful death indeed. Al-Shaboub was his only son by his beloved wife who was now dead. He would not lose him, and he expected me to see that he did not. Then he turned to the others in the tent, told them to get me whatever I needed as quickly as I asked for it, and left.

"For days I fought to save the boy, Haswari coming in and out of the tent, just watching me. I remember falling asleep once at this son's beside, before they had put me in my underground box, and woke to find him standing above me just staring those cold, dead eyes, his fingers brushing the hair off my face. As soon as I opened my eyes, he stood upright, his face blank, watched me a few seconds longer and turned on his heels and left. I never saw him again after that."

After he left, I spent the next two days trying to save the boy. I cleaned the wound. Removed the dead tissue and organs. From somewhere they brought me penicillin, morphine, I'm not sure where they got it from. The fever wouldn't break. As his condition worsened, they started locking me in a pit underground, in the dark. I could hear the bugs scritching around in the silence, crawling on me and through my clothes. I spent hours at a time in pitch darkness. I thought I would lose my mind. I still can barely tolerate tight enclosed spaces in darkness."

"You came to us in that building collapse…" Kelly remembered.

She rested her palm against his cheek. "It wasn't just being near you that had my heart pumping hard that night, although it may have been your proximity that kept me sane. Sometimes, we have no choice, right?"

Kelly nodded, turning his face to kiss her open palm.

"Al-Shaboub finally died. His father wasn't there and the men who were didn't know what to do. One of them beat me, cracking my cheek, breaking my jaw and hitting me so hard my eyes swelled shut. I remember hearing the phone call telling Haswari, wondering if he would just order me killed outright, or if they would torture my family with a video tape and ransom demands only to behead me on television later. But that wasn't his plan. I'm not sure what his plan was, but the guy who had beat me was killed right there in front of me. I was taking to Haswari's tent, stripped naked, and tied standing spread eagle. They left me that way for a while. I thought I would be raped and my eyes were swollen shut. At the time, I was in so much pain and out of it, I couldn't decide if seeing my rapist would be worse than not."

"The first time the lash hit my back I screamed, I was so shocked. The pain was excruciating. The men took turns, laughing as my body jerked and spasmed in pain. Eventually I passed out. When one of the women in the camp came to clean my back off and saw the damage, she was terrified. I learned then that they had been told not to mark me permanently, not to rape me, not to cause any sort of permanent injury. That Haswari claimed me for his own. But my back was going to be scarred, even treating it with their herbs and poultices. I was already fighting infections from the beatings. She was afraid I would die before he returned, and even if I did not, that her husband and the others would be killed for damaging me." Kelly wiped the tears that had escaped from her cheeks.

"As far as I was concerned, they could all go to hell, but I could not speak and was barely clinging to consciousness anyway. It was later that night I woke up to gunfire. Alot of gunfire. Screams of women, cries of men dying. I was tied to the bed and so I couldn't escape, like I could have being mostly blind and unable to walk. Like something in slow motion, two men in dark fatigues, faces painted black entered the tent and it was Jay along with Jeff Clarke. They cut me loose and wrapped me in a blanket. I couldn't speak, all I could do was cry. I remember Jay handing me a pistol and telling me to shoot anyone not one of us. He carried me out of the tent with Clarke covering us both. The gunfire had stopped and I saw the rest of the team gathering up anything they could that might proved valuable and carting it back to the choppers that were landing around us. Next thing I really remember was waking up in the hospital in Germany. My days in Afghanistan were over."

"How did they find you? Did they get Haswari?"

Elizabeth smiled at the memory. "When I told my dad I was going to Afghanistan to serve in the medical corps he was furious and dead set against it. But I didn't back down. Finally, once I agreed to have a tracking device put in my body he begrudgingly let me go. Best decision I ever made.

"And no they never found Haswari, but the man is apparently still obsessed with me. Every once in a while chatter gets picked up and we go through hoops and then it dies off again. We hear rumors, and I have a hard time believing that after all this time he'd still come after me, but then I remember the dead look in his eyes and the way that woman talked of how he had 'claimed' me. And suddenly, it isn't so far-fetched an idea after all."

Kelly leaned over and kissed the tears off her cheeks, "Thank you for telling me."

Elizabeth shrugged, "I guess it was time. But Kelly, you and Jay are the only ones who know the whole story. Even Clarke, even though he was there, doesn't know the story. It's classified. You can't tell anyone."

"It's your story to tell baby. I won't tell a soul. Now roll over," Kelly commanded, pushing her onto her stomach. He brushed her silken hair to the side and slid the sheet down her body, exposing her back to him. His tongue traced the longest scar that started on her right shoulder that extended down to her left hip,feeling the smooth texture of her skin, tasting the dried salt of her sweat from their earlier lovemaking. He licked his lips and then picked another nearby scar and dragged his tongue along the slightly raised skin. He felt Elizabeth squirm under his caress and he stilled her with his hands. For every scar, every imperfection left, he kissed and licked them with his love.

She was breathing hard when he had kissed the last of her tangible reminders of her terrible memories. He rolled her onto her back and raised himself up over her on his elbows. "If I could, I would erase all the pain and bad memories and I'm sorry you went through that. But Elizabeth, you need to know that all that you've been through, all that you are, has made you the woman I'm in love with."

She gasped at the admission, "Kelly!"

"I wish I could say I'd never said those words before, I really do. I have. I've told women what I thought they wanted to hear. I've told women what I thought I felt. I've been engaged twice because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But I have never felt this way before. There is no place I would rather be than right here with you. I love you, Elizabeth." He brushed another tear away from her cheek. "Why are you crying now?" Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. Maybe it was too soon.

"I'm just happy, Kelly. Just really happy." The knot forming in Kelly's chest released and he leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers.

"Me too, baby, me too." Kelly sighed. He was happy, happier than he could remember.

* * *

A/N: Reviews feed the muse… she's a little anemic but getting stronger. :-) Next up, things get a little rough for our loving couple.


	16. Chapter 16

Lt. Sweetride

Chapter 16

_Red wine and ambien_

_You're talking shit again, it's heartbreak warfare_

_Good to know it's all a game_

_Disappointment has a name, it's heartbreak, heartbreak_

_It's heartbreak warfare._

~_Heartbreak Warfare_, John Mayer

* * *

Kelly pulled a laughing Elizabeth out of the car, crushing her against the side of the car with his body after he'd closed the Range Rover's driver's side door. "Let's skip the game and go home and make our own entertainment," Kelly growled as he ran open-mouthed kisses along her bare throat. His body blocked anyone from seeing her in the crowded parking lot of the hockey stadium. They were parked in the owners' and players' section, where security was tighter and there were less people, but there were still plenty of gawkers anyway. The smell of popcorn and overcooked hot dogs mixed with the poison smell of exhaust. The crowds outside were noisy, but the crowd inside was insane. It was the playoffs afterall.

Elizabeth wrapped one leg around his waist, pulling him tight against her, loving the sensation of his rough beard growth as he traced her jawline. "We can't leave. We are the hosts and these are your people, Kelly. We need to head upstairs."

"They're here for the game. They won't even miss us. Let's go home," he plundered her mouth, trying to convince her. He could taste the ever present cinnamon gum she chewed perpetually, as his tongue slid over hers again and again, desperate to be inside her once again. He would never get enough of this woman who had completely captured his heart and mind.

Breathless, Elizabeth broke the kiss and held her head back, laughing eyes looking into his. "You're insatiable, Kelly. You've had me half dozen times: the bedroom, in the pool, out of the pool, the shower." Kelly buried his head in her hair, she smelled like lilacs and fresh lemons.

"The parking lot at the United Center," Kelly sighed as he lifted her other leg around his waist, nestling her heated core against his painfully hard cock. He felt like a perpetual walking hard on the last few weeks. No matter how often he took her, he still found himself needing her, wanting her.

"At the very least, we need to make an appearance. And then," she ground her core against his hard length, eliciting a groan, "I'll concede your point," rubbing against him making her double entendre clear.

"Fifteen minutes."

"An hour, Kelly. The game is four hours long."

"I won't last an hour, Elizabeth."

"You will. And the sooner we get up there, the sooner the clock starts ticking on that hour, L.T."

"Jesus, you're killing me," Kelly complained as Elizabeth untangled her legs from around him, standing back on her stiletto boots. Kelly groaned as he pulled his denim shirt from his jeans to cover the obvious bulge he was now sporting.

Elizabeth tucked a hand between his waist and jeans, creating skin to skin contact, "Shall we?" she whispered in his ear, as she turned them towards the escalator that would take them to the top floors and the private boxes where their group waited for them.

"An hour Liz, one hour. I'm timing us from the minute we walk through the door."

"One hour. Agreed."

They were the last to arrive, and even though the game had yet to begin, the party was in full swing when they finally crossed the threshold. Kelly made a big production of checking his watch and setting the timer, before glad-handing began. The sports box was huge, lined with big screen TVs playing the game. Cushioned, comfortable stadium seating was up front behind glass where fans could watch the game. There were sofas and chairs scattered around the rest of the room for conversation areas. Along one wall was a spread of food that from what Kelly could tell would have put an all you can eat buffet to shame.

Elizabeth smiled as she was pulled into enthusiastic hugs by Kelly's firefighter buddies. Kelly kept hold of her hand so she found it difficult to reciprocate the hugs and he pulled her away when he thought they had gone on long enough.

"You're welcome. I'm glad the bus worked out," she responded to Jose.

"A party bus was a great idea. We can all drink now and not worry about driving home. What took you guys so long to get here? Why didn't you ride with us?"

"Jose, man, let her go," Kelly pushed the large man back. His possessiveness seemed to have no end. "We had a few things we had to do before coming here. Looks like you guys did fine starting with out us though." A few things to do before they came, yeah like coming over and over again before he'd even let her out of the house. Kelly grinned at the memory.

"It's great man, look at the spread she put out," Otis motioned to the buffet on the long wall across from them. "There's cold cuts, fruit, veggies, roasted chicken, even shrimp cocktail if we want. And she has a guy who makes our drinks for us too. This is for real. Who's box is this?"

Kelly shook his head and started to follow Elizabeth as she led him away, "Look guys, just enjoy yourself. She wants you to have a good time." He knew Elizabeth wouldn't want people to know this was her family's box, that she had this kind of money. He was slowly getting used to it, mostly because she lived such a normal, every day life and not a life that you'd ever imagine had her wealthy enough to own a private box at the Blackhawks' stadium.

"Can't help but have a great time. The game is on multiple screens up here, we can watch from up here live, great food and drinks. This is awesome."

"Just be sure to thank her when it's all over, ok?"

Kelly caught up with Elizabeth as she broke a hug with an elderly black woman. "Odette, this is my, um," Elizabeth looked at Kelly and smiled, "my boyfriend, even though that seems sort of high school, Lt. Kelly Severide. Kelly, this is Odette. She helped raise me and my brothers, and she's been a big part of my life since. She also helps take care of my house and the dogs, along with her husband Pritchard over there, working the bar." Kelly looked over and watched an elderly black man in a tuxedo shaking a martini shaker in the air, laughing with Jeff Clark.

"Well, aren't you a fine looking young man, Lt. Severide. I was wondering who had been staying over all these nights." He heard a Southern drawl in her voice, even though if she'd been taking care of Elizabeth all these years, she had to have been away from the South for some time.

Kelly felt himself blush. "That would be me, ma'am. Why haven't I met you before now if you take care of Elizabeth's house?"

"Pshaw, Kelly, Pritch and I like to be ghosts in that big old house. You just know we've been there but you won't never see us, unless we want you to. Lizzy's gone enough that we can get in there and clean that place up without ever bothering the two of you lovebirds."

Pritchard came walking up and looked Kelly up and down, sizing him up. "I guess you would be the one, young man."

"Pritchard Du Bois, Lt. Kelly Severide." Kelly shook Pritchard's hand, surprised by the strength in the elderly hand.

Pritchard smiled at Kelly's raised eyebrows at the show of strength, "I'm not just some old man son."

"No, sir. Impressive grip, sir."

"So what are you Lt. of Severide? You run all these men here?"

"I'm in charge of squad, sir. About 6 of these guys are on my team."

"Clark one of yours?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good man, Clark is. Rescued our girl here from a bad place." Kelly's eyebrows shot up with the knowledge that this man knew the story, or at least some of it. Pritchard turned to Elizabeth, "Jay comin'?"

"This is strictly for the firefighters tonight, Pritch. Jay's home watching on TV this time."

"Jay's a good man too," he said addressing Severide again. Kelly felt like the old man was telling him that he was being held to a very high standard.

"Yes, sir."

Pritchard nodded and looked Kelly up and down again, "I guess time will tell," he said vaguely. "What can I get you?"

"Beer would be great."

"Ice tea for me, Pritchard."

"Fancy IPA bottle or good old American?"

"Straight up American is fine."

Pritchard nodded his head and ticked it to the side, "Follow me then."

Kelly took a slug from Coors bottle Pritchard had given him and sighed, watching Elizabeth work the room. He felt like he'd been put through some sort of test where he didn't know the questions, and sure as hell didn't know the answers and had most certainly failed. At least in Pritchard's eyes. How important was this man to Elizabeth? She'd known him and Odette since birth, so probably pretty important. He watched Clark put his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders and pull her into a side hug, kissing her temple. Jesus, what was it about these guys that they just think they can touch her and kiss her. Clark whispered something in her ear and her laughter carried across the room to where Kelly slouched on the couch. He started to rise when a hand gripped his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"You just stay put Lt. Ain't no harm between those two," Odette came around to sit next to him on the sofa. "They've got a shared history, doesn't go as far back as her and Jay's mind you, but they are still close. But nothing for you to be worried about. She sees him like a brother, like the brother she might actually like. Not that she don't like her two siblings, they're just really different from her." Kelly relaxed, listening to the woman who'd known Elizabeth her whole life. Maybe he'd learn something he didn't know. He already had.

"Tell me about her family."

"You met them already, right? Dinner once. I hear Elizabeth 'bout clawed that stupid girl Sienna's eyes out."

Kelly snorted at the memory. "She was pretty pissed off."

"Yeah, I don't think we'll be seeing Sienna around much anymore. Dominic is weak and likes weak women. But Elizabeth banned Sienna from anything she's going to be at, so that doesn't leave much room for Dominic to bring her 'round anymore. I think the Senator was thrilled. Now her and Greg, they get along fine. Family man, his wife is just as sweet as can be. But Greg's ambitious and Elizabeth doesn't share, nor care, about that part of the life. She changed her name as soon as she could, and stays out of any of the family's public side. But our Elizabeth, she's carved out her own world and she doesn't have much in common with her family anymore."

"Cutting herself off like that, do you think she's lonely?"

Odette cackled next to him, "Honey, she's too busy to be lonely, except maybe in the dead of night when she ain't been sleeping. But now, with you around, she's the happiest I've seen her in a long time. Don't you go hurtin' her. No one's gonna take kindly to that, especially Jay. She's closer to him than anyone in the world. And he carries a gun." Kelly couldn't tell if she was kidding or not, but he'd go with not.

"He's already told me they'd never find my body."

"Has he then? Well, I'd take him at his word. And here comes the lovely doctor herself." Odette stood, smiling as she watched Kelly watch Elizabeth walk towards him.

"Now Odette," Elizabeth teased as she crawled into Kelly's lap, straddling him, "you haven't been talking out of turn have you?"

Odette ran her wrinkled hand down Elizabeth's hair like she was petting a cat, Elizabeth sighing and moving her head into Odette's hand. "You have fun, baby girl. Take care of each other." She kissed the crown of Elizabeth's head and turned to walk away.

"You've known her your whole life."

"She was my mom's best friend, even when she was supposed to just be our servant. But it was never like that in our house. And once my mom died, she became like my mom. I went to her with all my broken hearts and big dreams. Her and Pritchard are a big part of my life. They live on the property and will until they die. I'll always take care of them. But right now, I wanna take care of you." She tilted her hips suggestively, rubbing against him, eliciting a groan. "How much longer?"

Kelly kissed her and looked at his watch, "About ten more minutes? Close enough?"

"10 more minutes, but we'll sit here and make out." Her long fingers were interlocked behind his neck and she used them to pull his face towards her. She kept her eyes on his until just before her lips touched his, lightly brushing over them.

"9 minutes," Kelly sighed on his breath. His hands slid from her waist to under her ass and pulled her tighter against him. His tongue slid out to touch her lips as they brushed across his again. She opened to him and their tongues slowly tangled, casually stroking, mapping each other's mouths. She felt him hardened underneath her as her channel flooded with her lust. Some day she wanted to see if she could come just from his kisses.

"Get a room," Shay's voice interrupted as she sat on the chair beside them kicking his big feet knocking them slightly off balance.

"Fuck off Shay," Kelly growled.

"Nope, haven't seen you in weeks and we need to _talk_." The emphasis on talk brought Elizabeth's eyes around to look at Shay.

"You have," Kelly looked at his watch, "4 minutes. Then we are out of here."

"You're going to leave your own party? That's rich." Shay seemed pissed for some reason. Because he hadn't been around much?

"3 minutes."

"Ok, ok. So we need to be there at 10 in the morning."

"What? Be where?" Kelly's brows knitted in confusion.

"You forgot didn't you!?" Shay's voice dropped to an angry whisper.

It wasn't her birthday, and he was sure it wasn't Elizabeth's birthday. What did he forget?

"Ok, what did I forget? You just had a birthday."

Kelly felt the chill as Elizabeth slid off his lap to sit beside him, taking her warmth with him. She curled up silently, tucking her feet up under her. He had a feeling they weren't leaving in three minutes anymore.

"Tomorrow is the day! I've been leaving you messages."

At the blank look on Kelly's face, Shay exploded. "But you haven't been checking your messages! What the fuck Kelly! This is important!" People cut their conversations off and turned to look at Shay and Kelly at the outburst.

"Shay, why don't we take this outside?" Elizabeth suggested as she watched the people around watching them.

"We? We take this outside? You're the reason he's forgotten about this. The most important thing in my life and he's forgotten." She turned back to Kelly, "I can't believe you, you self-centered bastard."

Most important thing in her life. Shit. He had forgotten. Completely. And now, his life was going to go to shit. They were definitely not leaving in 3 minutes.


End file.
